United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2011
Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Peace Corps Act to require the Director of the Peace Corps: (1) as part of the training provided to all volunteers, to develop and implement comprehensive sexual assault risk-reduction and response training that conforms to best practices in the sexual assault field; and (2) once a trainee has arrived in such trainee's country of service, to provide that individual with training tailored to such country, including cultural training relating to gender relations, risk-reduction strategies, a safety plan in the event of an assault, treatment available in such country, MedEvac procedures, and information regarding the legal process for pressing charges against an attacker. Requires the Director to provide each: (1) applicant for enrollment with a historical analysis of crimes against, and risks to, volunteers in the country in which the applicant has been invited to serve; and (2) trainee, before enrolling as a volunteer, with contact information of the Peace Corps' Inspector General for purposes of reporting violations of the sexual assault protocol or any other criminal or administrative wrongdoing by individuals who do business with the Peace Corps, and with clear, written guidelines regarding whom to contact and what steps to take in the event of a sexual assault. Requires the Director to: (1) develop, implement, and distribute comprehensive sexual assault protocol guidelines that conform to best practices in the sexual assault field that are applicable to all posts at which volunteers serve, and train all in-country staff regarding the protocol and guidelines; (2) expeditiously remove a volunteer who feels at risk of imminent bodily harm and requests removal from the site in which such volunteer is serving, and assess and evaluate the safety of the site; (3) establish sexual assault response teams; (4) conduct case reviews of a statistically significant number of cases on a quarterly basis; (5) establish a global tracking and recording system to track and record incidents of assault against volunteers; (6) establish an alternative reporting system and hotline access system through which volunteers who are assault victims can report and receive support anonymously; and (7) assign a certified victims advocate in Peace Corps headquarters who shall report directly to the Director. Establishes in the Peace Corps a Sexual Assault Advisory Council. Requires the Director to: (1) establish goals, metrics, and monitoring and evaluation plans for all Peace Corps programs and Country Directors; (2) annually conduct a confidential survey of volunteers regarding the effectiveness of Peace Corps programs and staff and the safety of volunteers; (3) establish and maintain a process to protect confidentiality and safety of volunteers reporting incidents and the information reported and to ensure that such information is acted on appropriately; and (4) determine the level of access to communication, including cellular and Internet access, of each volunteer. Prohibits the Director from: (1) disclosing personally identifying information or personal information of a volunteer who is a victim of assault collected in connection with services requested, utilized, or denied through Peace Corps programs; or (2) revealing such information without the informed, purpose-limited, and reasonably time-limited consent of such volunteer about whom such information is sought.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2011
Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2011 - Prohibits a person from transporting a horse in interstate commerce in a motor vehicle (except a vehicle operated exclusively on rail or rails) containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. Sets forth civil penalties for persons who knowingly violate such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Congressional Integrity and Pension Forfeiture Act of 2011 - Extends provisions requiring forfeiture of pension benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) to the President, Vice President, or an elected state or local government official, in addition to Members of Congress, upon conviction of a serious public corruption crime. Expands the list of such crimes that would require a pension forfeiture.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Medicare and Medicaid Fighting Fraud and Abuse to Save Taxpayers' Dollars Act or Medicare and Medicaid FAST Act - Amends part D (Prescription Drug Benefits) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prohibit sponsors of prescription drug plans (PDPs) from paying claims for prescription drugs that do not include the valid National Provider Identifier for the drug's prescriber. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish procedures and rules to restrict access to the National Provider Identifier Registry in order to deter fraudulent use of it. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid), for any state that has established a State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program meeting certain requirements, to decrease by 10% the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) with respect to any amounts recovered by or paid to the state related to an overpayment due to fraud, waste, or abuse. Allows the state to use such amounts to support its State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. Directs the Secretary of HHS and the Attorney General jointly to establish a Commission to examine interoperability and other issues related to State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) update daily the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) database of persons registered to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act to reflect any changes in the information in the Death Master File of the Social Security Administration; (2) agree with the Commissioner of Social Security to obtain death information in order to update such database; (3) establish procedures and rules to restrict access to the database to deter its fraudulent use; and (4) establish procedures and rules to review and investigate pharmacy claims under Medicare part D that contain a registration number not assigned to a practitioner by the Attorney General under the Controlled Substances Act. Amends SSA title XVIII to require certain annual reports to describe the types and financial costs to the Medicare program of improper payment vulnerabilities identified by Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs). Requires the Secretary of HHS to develop a plan to revise the beneficiary incentive program under the Health Instance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to encourage greater participation by individuals in reporting fraud and abuse in the Medicare program. Requires the Secretary of HHS to: (1) establish and implement procedures to eliminate the unnecessary collection, use, and display of Social Security account numbers of Medicare beneficiaries; and (2) ensure that each newly issued Medicare identification card meets specified requirements. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish a pilot program utilizing smart card technology to evaluate its applicability to the Medicare program and whether such cards would be effective in preventing Medicare fraud. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish policies and procedures for prepayment review, which may include pre-certification, for all claims for reimbursement for durable medical equipment (DME) at high risk of waste, fraud, and abuse, including power wheelchairs. Requires the Secretary of HHS, the HHS Inspector General, and the Attorney General to increase coordination and data sharing. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish: (1) automated prepayment review of all Medicare claims, (2) a plan to facilitate the inclusion of states in the Medicare-Medicaid Data Match Program, and (3) a plan that allows each state Medicaid agency access to relevant data on improper or erroneous Medicare payments for items or services for dual eligible individuals. Prohibits Medicaid payments as well as payments under SSA title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP) unless a claim contains a valid beneficiary identification number and a valid National Provider Identifier. Directs the Secretary to establish Medicare administrative contractor error reduction incentives. Requires the provider enrollment process and provider screening to be separate from any contract to serve as a Medicare administrative contractor. Directs the Secretary of HHS to report to Congress on measurable metrics for improving Medicare contractor performance. Amends SSA title XI to establish penalties for the illegal distribution of a Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP beneficiary identification number or billing privileges.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Growing Education Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals Act or GREAT Teachers and Principals Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to: (1) create or approve teacher or principal preparation academies and create or designate authorizers of those academies; (2) support the creation and operation of such academies; and (3) award subgrants to nonprofit entities to establish or expand such academies, measure their effectiveness, or recruit enrollees who have demonstrated strong potential to be effective teachers or principals. Requires each academy to enter into a charter with an authorizer that specifies the goals and outcomes expected of the academy and the obligations of the authorizer. Prohibits authorizers from renewing an academy's charter if it fails to produce the minimum number or percentage of effective teachers or principals specified in its charter. Requires each academy to provide: (1) enrollees with a significant portion of their training through clinical preparation that partners them with successful teacher or principal mentors, and (2) certificates of completion only to graduates who demonstrate a track record of success in preparing students for college and careers. Requires state grantees to recognize a certificate of completion from an academy as at least the equivalent of a master's degree in education for the purposes of teacher or principal hiring, retention, compensation, and promotion in the state. Directs the Secretary to enter into an interagency agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service under which the Corporation approves national service positions for candidates at each teacher or principal preparation academy receiving financial assistance under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the U.S. Armed Forces and coalition partners who are engaged in military operations to protect the people of Libya have demonstrated extraordinary bravery and should be commended; (2) the U.S. government should continue to support the aspirations of the people of Libya for political reform and self-government based on democratic and human rights; (3) the goal of U.S. policy in Libya, as stated by the President, is to achieve the departure from power of Muammar Qaddafi and his family, including through the use of diplomatic and economic pressure, so that a peaceful transition can begin to an inclusive government that ensures freedom and opportunity; and (4) the Qaddafi regime's funds that have been frozen by the United States should be returned to the people of Libya for their benefit, and the President should explore the possibility with the Transitional National Council of using some of such funds to reimburse North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries for expenses incurred in Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector. Authorizes the President to continue the limited use of the U.S. Armed Forces in Libya in support of U.S. security policy interests as part of the NATO mission to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973, as requested by the Transitional National Council, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the Arab League. Terminates such authorization one year after the date of enactment of this joint resolution. States that Congress does not support deploying, establishing, or maintaining the presence of units and members of the U.S. Armed Forces on the ground in Libya unless the purpose of the presence is limited to the immediate personal defense of U.S. government officials (including diplomatic representatives) or to rescuing members of NATO forces from imminent danger. Directs the President to consult frequently with Congress regarding U.S. efforts in Libya, including by providing regular briefings and reports. Includes as elements in such briefings and reports: (1) an updated description of U.S. national security interests and policy objectives in Libya; (2) an updated list of U.S. Armed Forces activities in Libya; (3) an updated assessment of the opposition groups in Libya, including potential successor governments; and (4) an updated explanation of the President's legal and constitutional rationale for conducting military operations in Libya consistent with the War Powers Resolution.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Recognizes that continued investigation of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employees for involvement in a detention and interrogation program to avert terrorist attacks on the United States is unwarranted and will likely have a chilling effect on the work of CIA and other U.S. national security professionals. Urges: (1) the President and the Attorney General to immediately close the Department of Justice's (DOJ) ongoing investigation and decline future prosecution of CIA employees for actions related to the interrogation of detainees at overseas locations, including the use of enhanced interrogation techniques on detained terrorists; and (2) the President to develop and implement policies allowing for the long-term detention and interrogation of high-value detainees, including detainees captured overseas or in the custody of foreign countries.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2011
Geolocational Privacy and Surveillance Act or the GPS Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit intentionally: (1) intercepting geolocation information pertaining to another person; (2) disclosing to any other person such information pertaining to another, knowing that the information was obtained in violation of this Act; (3) using geolocation information, knowing that the information was obtained in violation of this Act; or (4) disclosing to any other person the geolocation information pertaining to another person intercepted by means authorized under this Act, knowing that the information was obtained in connection with a criminal investigation, having obtained or received information in connection with a criminal investigation, with intent to improperly obstruct, impede, or interfere with a duly authorized criminal investigation. Sets penalties for violations. Makes specified exceptions for interceptions involving: (1) information acquired by a provider of covered services (electronic communication service, remote computing service, or geolocation information service) in the normal course of business; (2) federal officers, employees, or agents conducting foreign intelligence surveillance; (3) persons having given prior consent; (4) public information; (5) emergency information; (6) theft; and (7) a warrant. Prohibits: (1) a person providing covered services from intentionally divulging geolocation information pertaining to another person, with exceptions; and (2) the use of such information, and evidence derived from it, as evidence. Authorizes: (1) the use of geolocation information by investigative or law enforcement officers, or by a state's principal prosecuting attorney, to intercept such information under specified emergency circumstances; and (2) the recovery of civil damages by any person whose geolocation information is intercepted, disclosed, or intentionally used in violation of this Act. Modifies the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to require a search warrant to acquire geolocation information. Amends the federal criminal code to include any geolocation information service within the definition of a "covered entity" for purposes of provisions prohibiting obtaining confidential phone records information from such an entity by fraud or related activity. Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review the federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements applicable to persons convicted of fraud and related activity in connection with obtaining certain confidential phone records information. Prohibits acquiring geolocation information of a person for protective activities or law enforcement or intelligence purposes except pursuant to a warrant issued under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2011
Directs the Chief of Engineers, prior to any major federal action to prevent the introduction or establishment of a population of aquatic nuisance species between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basins that would impact the flow of commerce or commercial activity within the Chicago Area Water [ sic ] System, to prepare an economic impact statement regarding: (1) the impact on commerce and commercial activity and on jobs and job opportunities; (2) any adverse economic effects that could not be avoided; (3) alternatives to the proposed action; (4) the relationship between any local short-term impacts on commerce or commercial activity and maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity and environmental values; and (5) any adverse impacts to public or private property, including damage relating to flooding or new water drainage patterns. Allows such statement to be combined with a detailed statement of environmental impacts required to be prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2011
Ethanol Reform and Deficit Reduction Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) link the amount of the volumetric ethanol excise tax credit (VEETC) for calendar quarters beginning after June 30, 2011, to the average price of crude oil in a calendar quarter, (2) modify the rates of the income tax credit for alcohol used as fuel and extend such credit through 2014, (3) extend the alternative fuel refueling property tax credit and the special depreciation allowance for cellulosic biofuel plant property, and (4) make permanent the cellulosic biofuel producer tax credit. Modifies the definition of "cellulosic biofuel" for purposes of the cellulosic biofuel producer tax credit and the special depreciation allowance to mean any liquid fuel that 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 · 9 June 2011
American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 - Amends the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to detain for examination, testing, or the taking of evidence: (1) any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction that is sore or which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is sore; and (2) any horse or other equine that the Secretary has probable cause to believe is being shipped, transported, moved, delivered, received, possessed, purchased, sold, or donated in violation of such prohibition. Increases the cap on the amount of appropriations that may be used to carry out such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2011
States that: (1) it is U.S. policy to support Israel in maintaining secure, recognized, and defensible borders; and (2) it is contrary to U.S. policy and our national security to have Israel's borders return to the armistice lines that existed on June 4, 1967.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2011
Combating Autism Reauthorization Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and reauthorize appropriations through FY2014 for programs established under the Combating Autism Act of 2006, including: (1) the developmental disabilities surveillance and research program; (2) the autism education, early detection, and intervention program; and (3) the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a progress report on: (1) activities related to autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities, and (2) implementation of the Combating Autism Act of 2006. Reauthorizes appropriations for FY2012-FY2014 for National Institutes of Health (NIH) research on autism spectrum disorders and reviews of centers of excellence.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2011
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2011 - Sets conditions for lawsuits arising from health care liability claims regarding health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce. Sets a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one year after the claimant discovers the injury, with certain exceptions. Limits noneconomic damages to $250,000. Makes each party liable only for the amount of damages directly proportional to such party's percentage of responsibility. Allows the court to restrict the payment of attorney contingency fees. Limits the fees to a decreasing percentage based on the increasing value of the amount awarded. Allows the introduction of collateral source benefits and the amount paid to secure such benefits as evidence. Prohibits a provider of such benefits from recovering any amount from an award in a health care lawsuit involving injury or wrongful death. Authorizes the award of punitive damages only where: (1) it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that a person acted with malicious intent to injure the claimant or deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury the claimant was substantially certain to suffer; and (2) compensatory damages are awarded. Limits punitive damages to the greater of two times the amount of economic damages or $250,000. Denies punitive damages in the case of products approved, cleared, or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or otherwise considered in compliance with FDA standards. Provides for periodic payments of future damages.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2011
States that the Senate: (1) acknowledges that the framework of past anti-Chinese legislation, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, is incompatible with the basic founding principles of equality recognized in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution; (2) regrets passing six decades of legislation targeting the Chinese people for physical and political exclusion; and (3) reaffirms its commitment to preserving the same civil rights and constitutional protections for people of Chinese or other Asian descent in the United States accorded to all others.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2011
Iran, North Korea, and Syria Sanctions Consolidation Act of 2011- States that it is U.S. policy to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability. Amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to direct the President to impose three or more specified sanctions against a person that knowingly participates in a joint venture with respect to the development of petroleum resources outside of Iran: (1) in which Iran is a substantial partner or investor, or (2) through which Iran could receive technological knowledge or equipment that could contribute to its ability to develop petroleum resources in Iran. Includes certain infrastructure construction whose primary use is to support the transportation of refined petroleum products in the definition of "goods, services, technology, information, or support." Requires the President to respond within 60 days to a congressional request regarding a person's engagement in a sanctionable activity. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require securities issuers to disclose in their mandatory annual or quarterly reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) whether they or their affiliates have: (1) engaged in certain activities relating to Iran, terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; (2) knowingly engaged in specified activities, or knowingly violated certain regulations prescribed under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010; (3) knowingly conducted any transaction or dealing with a person whose property and interests in property are blocked by certain Executive Orders; or (4) knowingly conducted a transaction or dealing with any person listed in the Iranian Transactions Regulations. Specifies the contents of mandatory disclosures. Requires the President to: (1) initiate an investigation into the possible imposition of sanctions when the SEC receives a report that an issuer or its affiliate has engaged in the cited activities, and (2) determine within 180 days of initiating an investigation whether sanctions should be imposed on the issuer or the affiliate concerned. Requires promulgation regulations within 90 days after enactment of this Act governing financial institutions maintaining accounts for foreign financial institutions. Urges the President to initiate diplomatic efforts to expand multilateral sanctions against Iran. Directs the President to report to Congress on: (1) the Central Bank of Iran's involvement in Iran's development of weapons of mass destruction and support of terrorism, and (2) entities and countries providing refined petroleum products to Iran. Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to Congress listing all foreign investors in Iran's energy sector. Directs the President to: (1) identify each foreign person or foreign entity for which there is a reasonable basis for determining that the person or entity is an agent, front, instrumentality, official, or affiliate of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or is an IRGC representative; and (2) apply specified property sanctions to such person or entity. Gives priority to investigations of specified sensitive transactions. Sets forth mandatory and discretionary measures to be taken against a foreign person or entity that provides material support to the IRGC. Directs the President to impose specified sanctions against a person that provides shipping or refining services with respect to the exportation of petroleum, oil, or liquified natural gas to be refined or otherwise processed outside of Iran if: (1) the IRGC or any of its affiliates were involved in the development, extraction, production, transportation, or sale of such petroleum, oil, or liquefied natural gas in Iran, and the fair market value of such petroleum, oil, or liquefied natural gas is $1 million or more; or (2) during a 12-month period, the aggregate fair market value of such petroleum, oil, or liquefied natural gas is $5 million or more. Exempts certain underwriters and insurance providers from such provisions. Requires the President: (1) upon receipt of credible information that a person may have transferred to Iran goods or technologies, or provided post-transfer services, that may be used to commit human rights abuses to investigate and determine within 180 days whether the person engaged in such activity; (2) submit a list of such persons to Congress every 180 days or as new information becomes available; and (3) freeze the assets of a listed person. Amends the Iran Freedom Support Act to: (1) extend the President's authority to provide financial and political assistance to support democracy in Iran through December 31, 2016; and (2) expand the forms of such assistance. Requires the President to appoint a Special Representative on Human Rights and Democracy in the Islamic republic of Iran within the Department of State. Requires the President to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to promote Internet freedom and access to information in Iran. Amends the the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act to include in the scope of such Act a person that: (1) acquired materials mined or extracted within North Korea's territory or control; or (2) provided shipping services for the transportation of goods to or from Iran, North Korea, or Syria relating to such countries' weapons of mass destruction programs, support for acts of international terrorism, or human rights abuses. Excludes from such provisions shipping services for emergency or humanitarian purposes. Prohibits a vessel from knowingly landing at a U.S. port to load or unload cargo or engage in trade if the vessel entered a port in Iran, North Korea, or Syria during the 180-day period preceding the vessel's U.S. port arrival. Provides for enhanced vessel inspections. Directs: (1) the President to publish a list of each individual who is a senior government official of Iran (including the IRGC), North Korea, or Syria, or a close associate of such individual; and (2) the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to not grant an identified individual immigration status in, or admit the individual to, the United States. Requires a domestic or a foreign financial institution operating in the United States to report to the Secretary of the Treasury regarding any transactions with financial institutions, whose property or interests are blocked due to involvement with Iran, North Korea, or Syria, in activities supportive of international terrorism or weapons of mass destruction proliferation. Prohibits such an institution from continuing to operate in the United States if it: (1) continues to engage in transactions with such sanctioned institutions, or (2) fails to report or submits a false report. Directs the President to apply specified property, financial, or export sanctions against a person providing to, or acquiring from, Iran, North Korea, or Syria any good or technology that is used, or is likely to be used, for military applications.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2011
Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of State to publish and update a list of each person the Secretary has reason to believe: (1) is responsible for the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, participated in related liability concealment efforts, or committed those frauds discovered by Sergei Magnitsky, including conspiring to defraud the Russian Federation of taxes on corporate profits through fraudulent transactions and lawsuits against the Hermitage foreign investment company and to misappropriate entities owned or controlled by Hermitage; or (2) is responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other human rights violations committed against individuals seeking to promote human rights or to expose illegal activity carried out by officials of the government of the Russian Federation. Makes an alien on such list ineligible to enter or be admitted to the United States. Revokes any visa issued for such person. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such prohibition if in the U.S. national interest. Requires congressional notification of any such waiver. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) instruct domestic financial institutions and agencies to take specified measures if the Secretary makes a money laundering determination relating to such conspiracy, and (2) freeze and prohibit U.S. property transactions of an individual who is on the list or who acts as an agent for a listed individual. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such actions if in the U.S. national interest. Requires congressional notification of any such waiver. Subjects a person who violates, attempts to violate, or causes a violation of such money laundering or asset provisions to specified penalties. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations requiring each financial institution that is a U.S. person to: (1) audit the assets within its possession or control to determine whether any such assets are required to be frozen pursuant to this Act, and (2) submit a report to the the Secretary containing the audit's results and a certification that such assets have been frozen. Subjects a financial institution that violates such regulations to specified penalties.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2011
Freedom from Restrictive Excessive Executive Demands and Onerous Mandates Act of 2011 - Amends the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) to revise the regulatory process (rulemaking) with respect to small entities (e.g., small businesses, small organizations, and small governmental jurisdictions). Defines "economic impact" with respect to a proposed or final rule to mean: (1) the economic effects on small entities directly regulated by the rule, and (2) the reasonably foreseeable economic effects of the rule on small entities resulting from their transactions with other businesses and entities directly regulated by the rule. Expands judicial review of agency rulemaking to permit small entities to seek judicial review of initial regulatory flexibility analyses and to obtain an injunction of a proposed rule that is noncompliant with RFA requirements. Requires each agency to establish a plan for the periodic review (every nine years) of: (1) its rules that have a significant adverse economic impact on small entities, and (2) any small entity compliance guide required to be published by an agency. Sets forth criteria for review of a rule, including the continued need for the rule, the complexity of the rule, and the impact of the rule on small entities. Expands to all agencies the procedures for gathering comments on rules that will have a significant economic impact on small entities. Extends RFA requirements to informal agency guidance documents. Amends the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 to require each agency to review on a periodic basis the civil penalties it imposes on small entities for violations of statutory or regulatory requirements. Imposes certain additional requirements on agencies prior to the issuance of a final rule, including requirements for: (1) publication of an initial regulatory flexibility analysis, (2) a determination of the average cost of a rule for affected small entities and the number of small entities affected or reasonably presumed to be affected, and (3) consultation with the Chief Counsel for Advocacy for the Small Business Administration (SBA) with respect to the accuracy of information relating to the cost and impact of a final rule. Authorizes appropriations to the Small Business Administration for FY2012-FY2014 to carry out this Act. Repeals certain provisions of the Small Business Act and the Energy Security and Efficiency Act of 2007 to offset the costs of carrying out this Act and to reduce the federal deficit.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2011
States that the federal government should take no action to redeem, assume, or guarantee state debt, and that the Secretary of the Treasury should report to Congress negotiations to engage in actions that would result in an outlay of federal funds on behalf of creditors to a state.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2011
Strengthening and Focusing Enforcement to Deter Organized Stealing and Enhance Safety Act of 2011 or the SAFE DOSES Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit, in interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly: (1) stealing, embezzling, or obtaining by fraud or deception a medical product; (2) transporting, handling, trafficking in, or storing a stolen medical product; or (3) participating in any way in a scheme to alter, forge, or falsify the labeling or documentation of a stolen or expired medical product. Defines a "medical product" a drug, biological product, device, medical food, or infant formula that: (1) is being stored for transportation or is being or has been transported, shipped, or received; and (2) has not yet been made available for retail purchase by a customer. Sets forth penalties for violations, including up to 3 years imprisonment if the value of the medical product is less than $5,000 and up to 20 years imprisonment otherwise. Authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action in United States district court against violators. Authorizes the court to impose a civil penalty of up to the greater of 3 times the economic loss attributable to the violation or $1 million. Provides for civil forfeiture in cases of theft of medical products. Increases the penalties for: (1) stealing, embezzling, or obtaining by fraud or artifice interstate or foreign shipments; (2) interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises; (3) engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity; (4) breaking into or entering carrier facilities with intent to commit larceny; and (5) the transportation, sale, or receipt of stolen property. Includes theft of medical products within the scope of: (1) the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act; (2) provisions regarding authorization for the interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications; and (3) provisions regarding mandatory restitution to victims of certain crimes. Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review and, if appropriate, amend the federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements applicable to a person convicted of an offense regarding robberies and burglaries involving controlled substances, theft of medical products, or other criminal code provisions amended by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2011
Reaffirms support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states, a democratic Jewish state of Israel and a democratic Palestinian state living in peace and mutual recognition. States that any Palestinian unity government must forswear terrorism, accept Israel's right to exist, and reaffirm previous agreements made with Israel. Opposes any attempt to establish or seek recognition of a Palestinian state outside of an agreement negotiated between leaders in Israel and the Palestinians. Urges Palestinian leaders to cease efforts at circumventing the negotiation process, including through a unilateral declaration of statehood or by seeking recognition of a Palestinian state from other nations or the United Nations (U.N.). Supports the President's opposition to a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state. States that the Senate will consider restrictions on aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) should the PA persist in efforts to circumvent direct negotiations. Reaffirms the requirement under U.S. law precluding assistance to a PA that includes Hamas unless that PA and all its ministers accept Israel's right to exist and all prior agreements and understandings with the governments of the United States and Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and reauthorize appropriations for payments associated with operating approved graduate medical residency training programs.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Public Officials Accountability Act - Amends the federal criminal code to include as a fraud offense a scheme or artifice by a public official to engage in undisclosed self-dealing. Defines "undisclosed self-dealing" to mean: (1) performing an official act to benefit or further a financial interest of such public official, a spouse or minor child, a general business partner, a business or organization in which the public official is serving as an employee, officer, director, trustee, or general partner, or an individual, business, or organization with whom the public official is negotiating for, or has any arrangement concerning, prospective employment or financial compensation; and (2) knowingly falsifying, concealing, covering up, or failing to disclose material information regarding a financial interest as required by law.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
State Ethics Law Protection Act of 2011 - Considers a state transportation department not to have violated federal contract requirements for the construction of a federal-aid highway project solely because the state in which the department is located, or a local government within that state, has in effect a law or order that limits the amount of money an individual or entity doing business with a state or local agency with respect to such a project may contribute to a political party, campaign, or elected official (pay to play).
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 · 11 May 2011
Supports the people of Syria as they seek to exercise universal rights and pursue peaceful democratic change. Condemns the human rights abuses of the government of Syria, including the use of lethal violence, torture, mass arrests, and the cut-off of basic services. Condemns the government of Iran for assisting the government of Syria in its campaign of repression against the Syrian people. Finds that the government of Syria, led by Bashar al-Assad, has lost legitimacy and expresses support for the people of Syria to determine their future for themselves. Commends President Obama for authorizing targeted sanctions on human rights abusers in Syria. Urges the President to: (1) in conjunction with international partners, ensure access of humanitarian relief organizations and international media to affected areas of Syria and to impose consequences on the government of Syria and its leaders if access by these organizations continues to be impeded; and (2) work with our allies and partners at the U.N. Security Council to hold accountable human rights abusers in Syria and to support the human rights of the Syrian people. Urges the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to: (1) implement UNHRC Resolution S-16/1 and to ensure that the investigation into violations by the government of Syria of international human rights law is undertaken immediately, and (2) reinforce the need for the U.N. General Assembly to reject Syria's candidacy for UNHRC membership.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2011
Affirms that it is U.S. policy to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Georgia and to recognize the areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as regions of Georgia occupied by the Russian Federation. Calls upon the government of Russia to fulfill the 2008 ceasefire agreements between Georgia and Russia. Urges the government of Russia and the authorities in control in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to allow for the return of internally-displaced persons and international missions to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Supports constructive engagement and confidence-building measures between the government of Georgia and the authorities in control in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Affirms that finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict is a U.S. priority in the Caucasus region and that regional stability can only be achieved through peaceful means and long-term diplomatic and political dialogue.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2011
Makes Israeli nationals eligible to enter the United States as nonimmigrant traders and investors as provided for under the Immigration and Nationality Act if Israel provides reciprocal nonimmigrant treatment to U.S. nationals.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
Designates May 2011 as National Cancer Research Month. Recognizes the importance of cancer research and the invaluable contributions of cancer researchers and expresses support for efforts to make cancer research an international priority.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2011
Iran Human Rights and Democracy Promotion Act of 2011 - Expresses the sense of Congress that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran is responsible for directing the commission of serious human rights abuses against Iranian citizens on or after June 12, 2009. Amends the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to require the President: (1) upon receipt of credible information that a person may be an official of the government of Iran or acting on behalf of that government who is complicit in the commission of serious human rights abuses against Iranian citizens on or after June 12, 2009, to investigate and determine within 180 days whether the person is such a described individual; and (2) submit a list of such persons to Congress every 180 days or as new information becomes available. Requires the President: (1) upon receipt of credible information that a person may have transferred to Iran goods or technologies, or provided post-transfer services, that may be used to commit human rights abuses to investigate and determine within 180 days whether the person engaged in such activity; (2) submit a list of such persons to Congress every 180 days or as new information becomes available; and (3) freeze the assets of a listed person. Amends the Iran Freedom Support Act to: (1) extend the President's authority to provide financial and political assistance to support democracy in Iran through December 31, 2016; and (2) expand the forms of such assistance. Requires the President to appoint a Special Representative on Human Rights and Democracy in Iran within the Department of State. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Secretary should support efforts to research and catalogue prisoners of conscience and cases of human rights abuses inside Iran, (2) the U.S. government should offer political asylum to such political prisoners as well as assisting with their relocation to other countries if requested, and (3) the Special Representative and all representatives of the U.S. government should publicly call for the release of Iranian dissidents by name and raise individual cases of Iranian dissidents and prisoners of conscience as appropriate. Requires the President to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to promote Internet freedom and access to information in Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2011
Congratulates the students, parents, teachers, and administrators of charter schools across the country for their ongoing contributions to education and our public school system. Supports the ideals and goals of the eleventh annual National Charter Schools Week (May 1-May 7, 2011).
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
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 · 13 April 2011
All Students Achieving through Reform Act of 2011 or All-STAR Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to certain eligible entities and, through them, subgrants to successful public charter schools to allow such schools to expand or replicate to serve additional students. Lists, as eligible grantees, state and local educational agencies, authorized public chartering agencies, and tax-exempt organizations that have successfully supported the replication and expansion of such schools. Sets forth the attributes that are to give such entities grant priority, including their serving or planning to serve a large percentage of low-income students from public schools with low-graduation rates or schools identified as needing improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under the ESEA. Authorizes grantees to use up to 25% of a grant to establish a reserve account to assist them in acquiring and developing new facilities for successful public charter schools through: (1) credit enhancement initiatives, (2) the establishment of revolving loan funds, (3) direct spending or financing, or (4) partnerships with community development or other mission-based financial institutions. Directs the Secretary to conduct an independent, comprehensive, and scientifically sound evaluation of the effect this Act's initiatives have on student achievement and other areas, as determined by the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2011
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) report to Congress regarding the volume of ships and planes from North Korea visiting Burma via China and elsewhere in 2009, 2010, and through March 2011; (2) call for an international investigation into allegations of international crimes against civilians in Burma by the government of Burma; (3) seek the assistance of U.S. friends and allies, including Singapore, Japan, and South Korea, to encourage the release of all remaining political prisoners in Burma; and (4) encourage neighboring countries to establish safe havens for Burmese child soldiers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2011
Calls on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) members to reflect the author's repudiation of the Goldstone report's central findings, rescind the report, and reconsider further Council actions with respect to the report's findings. Urges United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon to work with United Nations (U.N.) member states to reform UNRHC so that it no longer unfairly, disproportionately, and falsely criticizes Israel. Requests Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon to do all in his power to redress the damage caused by the Goldstone report to Israel's reputation. Urges the United States to take a leadership role in getting the U.N. and its bodies to prevent any further action on the report's findings and limit the damage that this libelous report has caused to Israel and to the reputation of the U.N.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to assess the U.S. economy to determine what goods the United States currently produces, where such goods are produced, which U.S. manufacturing sector is the most competitive in the global economy, and what policies are necessary to maintain or increase the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing in the global economy. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop and submit to Congress a comprehensive national manufacturing strategy; (2) establish and submit to Congress targets for the growth of U.S. manufacturing for each of FY2012-FY2016; (3) survey all federal agencies that provide support to U.S. manufacturers, and report survey results to Congress; (4) report to Congress on progress and trends in U.S. manufacturing since a specified 2004 report by the Secretary concerning manufacturing in America; and (5) biennially survey U.S. entities that maintain manufacturing facilities outside the United States, maintain a database on information collected through each survey, and submit each survey's results to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Dodd-Frank Repeal Act of 2011 - Repeals titles I through XV of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Restores or revives the provisions of law amended or repealed by such titles as if the Act had not been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Responsible Consumer Financial Protection Regulations Act of 2011 - Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, title X of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, to replace the position of Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection with a five-member Commission whose members are appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Prohibits the Chair of the Commission from making requests for estimates related to appropriations without the prior approval of the Commission. Revises procedures for funding the Bureau. Eliminates the Consumer Financial Protection Fund and the requirement that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System transfer funds to the Bureau from the combined earnings of the Federal Reserve System. Authorizes appropriations for FY2011-FY2012.
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
Repeal the CLASS Entitlement Act - Repeals provisions of the Public Health Service Act enacted under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (entitled the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act or the CLASS Act) which establish a national, voluntary insurance program for purchasing community living assistance services and supports in order to provide individuals with functional limitations with tools that will allow them to maintain their personal and financial independence and live in the community. Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to repeal provisions providing appropriations for the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information through FY2015.
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
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a two-thirds roll call vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Prohibits total outlays for any fiscal year from exceeding 18% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for the preceding calendar year unless Congress, by a two-thirds roll call vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess over such 18%. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Prohibits any bill from becoming law that imposes a new tax or increases the statutory rate of any tax or the aggregate amount of revenue, unless approved by a two-thirds roll call vote of each chamber. Requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber to increase the federal debt limit. Authorizes waivers of these requirements: (1) when a declaration of war is in effect against a nation-state and Congress, by a majority roll call vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess; or (2) under other specified circumstances involving military conflict, if Congress, by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber, authorizes such waiver. Prohibits a federal or state court from ordering any increase in revenue to enforce this article.
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
Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to eliminate the Independent Payment Advisory Board charged with developing and submitting to the President, for Congress to consider, detailed proposals to reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2011
Condemns the December 2010 election in Belarus as illegitimate and joins the European Parliament in calling for new elections that meet international standards. Condemns the Alexander Lukashenko regime's systematic efforts to prevent freedom of expression and association in Belarus. Stands in solidarity with the people of Belarus. Calls on the Lukashenko regime to: (1) release all political prisoners who were arrested in association with the December 2010 election, including presidential candidates Andrei Sannikov, Nikolai Statkevich, and Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu; and (2) hold new and free presidential and parliamentary elections. Urges the President and the Secretary of State to: (1) coordinate U.S. and EU policies towards Belarus; (2) resume support to the opposition and civil society in Belarus; (3) impose sanctions where warranted on Belarusian officials; and (4) identify and freeze the assets of entities that enrich Mr. Lukashenko and his regime. Calls on: (1) other members of the international community, including Russia, to take similar targeted actions against the leaders of the government of Belarus; and (2) the government of Lithuania, as chair of the OSCE for 2011, to make the reestablishment of the OSCE Office in Belarus one of its chief priorities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2011
Child Care Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to require states that receive funds under such Act to: (1) require and conduct criminal background checks for staff members of child care providers; (2) prohibit the employment of a child care staff member who refuses to consent to a criminal background check, makes a false statement in connection with such background check, is registered as a sex offender, or is a convicted felon involving certain crimes; and (3) provide criminal background checks to child care providers upon request. Imposes a financial penalty on states that fail to comply substantially with the requirements of this Act.
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.
![Official portrait of Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/k000360_200.jpg)