United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2010
Recognizes the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Delta Regional Authority. Honors the Authority's first decade of work to improve the economy and well-being of the eight-state Delta region (Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee) and the promise of its continued work in the future.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2010
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 - Provides for repeal of the current Department of Defense (DOD) policy concerning homosexuality in the Armed Forces, to be effective 60 days after the Secretary of Defense has received DOD's comprehensive review on the implementation of such repeal, and the President, Secretary, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) certify to the congressional defense committees that they have considered the report and proposed plan of action, that DOD has prepared the necessary policies and regulations to exercise the discretion provided by such repeal, and that implementation of such policies and regulations is consistent with the standards of military readiness and effectiveness, unit cohesion, and military recruiting and retention. Provides that, until such time as the above conditions are met, the current policy shall remain in effect.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2010
Recognizes the commitment and ever-increasing sacrifices military families make every day during the current era of protracted conflict. Honors the families of the Armed Forces and thanks them for their dedication and service to the United States. Encourages the citizens of the United States to recognize, commemorate, and honor the role and contribution of the military family.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Medicare Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Act of 2010 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) extend the current update to the single conversion factor in the formula for the Medicare physician fee schedule through December 31, 2010; and (2) add an update for 2011 and subsequent years. Repeals the January 1, 2001, termination of the increase in the work geographic index to 1.00 for certain localities. Declares, however, that for services furnished on or after January 1, 2011, such 1.00 index shall not be applied in a budget neutral manner. Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to repeal its revisions to requirements for calculation of the practice expense portion of the geographic adjustment factor applied in a fee schedule area for services furnished in 2010 or 2011. Repeals also the requirement that the Secretary analyze current methods of establishing practice expense geographic adjustments and make appropriate further adjustments (a new methodology) to such adjustments for 2010 and subsequent years. Amends PPACA to repeal the practice expense index for services furnished in frontier states. Amends the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA) to repeal certain modifications in the employee wage and rent portions of the practice expense geographic index adjustment for 2010 and subsequent years. (Such modifications require that such portions reflect 1/2 (instead of 3/4) of the difference between the relative costs of employee wages and rents in each of the different fee schedule areas and the national average of such employee wages and rents.) Restores as though never amended corresponding previous provisions of law revised by PPACA and HCERA. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase the practice expense geographic index for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010, to 1.0 for certain localities. Declares that, as with the work geographic index, such increase shall not be applied in a budget neutral manner. Revises requirements for determination of full-time-equivalent (FTE) residents in an approved medical residency training program for purposes of payments for direct graduate medical education (GME) costs. Directs the Secretary to increase the limit on residents for each qualifying hospital that applies for additional residency positions. Requires an overall 15% increase in the aggregate number of FTE residency positions in approved medical residency training programs. Requires the Secretary to give preference to hospitals located in states in the lowest quartile of active physician-to-population ratio (generally, rural areas).
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act - Honors as a veteran any person entitled to retired pay for nonregular (reserve) service or, but for age, would be so entitled. Provides that such person shall not be entitled to any benefit solely by reason of such recognition.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Designates the week beginning on Monday, November 8, 2010, as National Veterans History Project Week. Calls on the people of the United States to interview at least one veteran in their families or communities according to guidelines provided by the Veterans History Project. Encourages national, state, and local organizations along with federal, state, city and county governmental institutions to participate in support of the effort to document, preserve, and honor the service of U.S. veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2010
Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to revise the definition of "chemical substance" for purposes of such Act to exclude any article the sale of which is subject to, or eligible to be subject to, the tax on pistols, revolvers, firearms, shells, cartridges, sport fishing equipment, specified bows and arrows, and any separate component of such an article or any substance that is manufactured, processed, or distributed in commerce for use in any such article or component.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2010
Supports the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month. Recognizes that every child should have a permanent and loving family. Encourages the people of the United States to consider adoption during the month of November and all throughout the year.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2010
Designates the week beginning on Monday, November 8, 2010, as National Veterans History Project Week. Recognizes National Veterans Awareness Week. Calls on the people of the United States to interview at least one veteran in their families or communities according to guidelines provided by the Veterans History Project. Encourages local, state, and national organizations along with federal, state, city, and county governmental institutions to participate in support of the effort to document, preserve, and honor the service of U.S. veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2010
Designates the week beginning on October 10, 2010, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. Supports the goals and ideals of National Wildlife Refuge Week. Reaffirms the support of the Senate for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2010
Appropriates funds to the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out the Settlement Agreement (dated February 18, 2010, between plaintiffs and the Secretary to resolve claims that were raised or that could have been raised in the cases consolidated in In re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation , including Pigford claims) if the Agreement is approved by a court order that is or becomes final and nonappealable. States that: (1) such funds are in addition to certain Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds and shall be available only after the CCC funds are fully obligated; and (2) if the Agreement is not approved the CCC funds shall be the sole funding for Pigford claims. Permits an eligible complaint alleging discrimination in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act involving a USDA credit program to file a civil action or request administrative review as provided for by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2010
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from 100 miles to 50 miles the distance from home threshold for allowing members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces to claim a tax deduction for their expenses paid or incurred in connection with their military service.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2010
Military Family-Friendly Employer Award Act - Establishes in the Department of Defense (DOD) an annual award to be known as the Military Family-Friendly Employer Award (Award) for non-federal employers that have developed and implemented workplace flexibility policies and practices: (1) to assist the working spouses and caregivers of members of the Armed Forces who are deployed away from home, and to assist such members upon their return from deployment; and (2) that reflect a deep awareness and commitment in response to the needs of the military family unit. Establishes in DOD a Military Family-Friendly Special Task Force to provide specified assistance in the making of such Awards.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2010
Designates the week beginning on November 8, 2010, as National School Psychology Week. Recognizes the contributions of school psychologists to the success of students in schools across this country.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2010
S Corporation ESOP Promotion and Expansion Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend to all domestic corporations, including S corporations, provisions allowing deferral of tax on gain from the sale of employer securities to an S corporation-sponsored employer stock ownership plan (ESOP); (2) allow a tax deduction for interest incurred on loans to S corporation-sponsored ESOPs for the purchase of employer securities; and (3) transfer liability for payment of estate tax on transfers of employer securities to an S corporation-sponsored ESOP from the estate executor to the ESOP. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2010
Designates October 2010 as National Work and Family Month. Recognizes the importance of work schedules that allow employees to spend time with their families to job productivity and to healthy families. Urges public officials, employers, employees, and the general public to work together to achieve more balance between work and family.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 2010
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Theodore "Ted" Fulton Stevens, former member of the U.S. Senate from Alaska. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on August 12, 2010, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Stevens.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2010
Rural Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2010 - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide that if the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) applies a median income requirement to communities for determining community facilities programs and water, waste disposal, and wastewater program eligibility in a state where the state nonmetropolitan median income is at least 90% of the national average nonmetropolitan median income, the Secretary shall use an amount equal to 95% of the national average nonmetropolitan median income in applying the median income requirement for any community in such state. Terminates such authority on September 30, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2010
Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to provide that no permit shall be required for: (1) the use of a pesticide that is registered or otherwise authorized for use under such Act; (2) the use of a biological control organism for the prevention, control, or eradication of a plant pest or noxious weed that is in accordance with the Plant Protection Act; or (3) the conduct of any other plant pest, noxious weed, or pest control activity conducted in accordance with the Plant Protection Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2010
Strengthening Community Safety Act of 2010 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make a grant to an eligible first responder agency for the additional costs incurred as a direct result of one or more of its employees who are reservists being placed on active duty. Defines "eligible first responder agency" as one for which the cost of operating has increased by not less than 5% as a direct result of such employees being placed on active duty. Prohibits the Administrator from making a grant for costs relating to an employee being placed on active duty if federal funds are used for that employee's pay or benefits. Authorizes the use of grant funds for: (1) pay or benefits for an individual hired to replace such an employee; (2) overtime expenses for an individual who performs tasks that would have been performed by such an employee; and (3) the cost of equipment, maintenance, or other activities the agency was unable to acquire or perform because of the cost of replacing such an employee or the need for which was caused by an employee being placed on active duty. Limits the grant period to six months.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2010
Commemorates the 50th anniversary of the National Council for International Visitors and its efforts to promote excellence in citizen diplomacy. Commends the achievements of the thousands of citizen diplomats who have worked for generations to share the best of the United States with foreign leaders, specialists, and scholars. Designates February 16, 2011, as Citizen Diplomacy Day.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2010
Children First Act of 2010 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) exclude child care assistance from the determination of the five-year limit on TANF assistance; and (2) increase funding for child care. Requires an eligible state's TANF plan to include a certification by the state's chief executive officer that procedures are in effect to ensure that any child care provider in the state that provides services funded through TANF expenditures or with qualified state expenditures complies with all applicable state or local health and safety requirements under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. Increases from 5 to 12 the maximum age of a child for which a single custodial parent who is unable to find child care for such child will not penalized with a reduction or termination of TANF assistance based on that individual's refusal to engage in required work in order to take care of the child. Subjects to the individual and case data reporting requirements of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 any TANF funds expended for child care, whether or not transferred to that Act, and exempts such funds from SSA reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2010
Designates August 16, 2010, as National Airborne Day (to recognize the airborne forces of the U.S. Armed Forces). Calls on the people of the United States to observe National Airborne Day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2010
Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act of 2010 - Amends federal bankruptcy law to permit an individual debtor to exempt from the property of the estate in bankruptcy the debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed $3,000, in a single rifle, shotgun, or pistol or any combination of them. Declares the date of enactment as the effective date of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2010
Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2010 - Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to: (1) extend reporting requirements for livestock daily markets through September 30, 2015; (2) establish mandatory reporting for wholesale pork cuts; and (3) direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish, and implement within one year, an electronic price reporting system for dairy products.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2010
Designates September 2010 as Gospel Music Heritage Month. Recognizes the contributions to U.S. culture derived from the rich heritage of gospel music and gospel music artists.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2010
United States Marshals Service 225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, in commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Marshals Service, to mint and issue $5 gold and $1 silver coins emblematic of the 225 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of the U.S. Marshals Service. Requires all such coin sales to include a surcharge of: (1) $35 per $5 coin; and (2) $10 per $1 coin. Requires distribution of the first $5 million to the Director of the United States Marshals Service National Museum, for the preservation, maintenance, and display of artifacts and documents of the U.S. Marshals Service. Requires distribution of: (1) $1 million to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; (2) $1 million to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in support of the National Law Enforcement Museum and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; (3) $1 million to the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association; (4) $500,000 to the William "Bill" Degan Scholarship Fund (provides scholarships for spouses and children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty); (5) $500,000 to the Robert D. May Scholarship Fund (provides scholarships for spouses and children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty); (6) $500,000 to the Community Oriented Policing Service; and (7) $500,000 to the Retired United States Marshals Service Association. Authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the $5 gold coins.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2010
Designates June 2010 as Summer Food Service Program Awareness Month. Encourages: (1) schools, nonprofit institutions, churches, parks, recreation centers, and summer camps to sponsor summer feeding sites in their communities; and (2) schools, local businesses, nonprofit institutions, churches, cities, and state governments to raise awareness of the availability of summer feeding sites and support efforts to increase participation of children who might otherwise go without meals.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2010
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Robert C. Byrd, late a Senator from West Virginia. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on June 28, 2010, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2010
Recognizes June 20, 2010, as Father's Day. Honors the men in the United States and around the world who are active in the lives of their children, which in turn has a significant impact on their children, their families, and their communities. Reaffirms the commitment of the United States to supporting and encouraging global fatherhood initiatives that significantly benefit international development efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2010
Recognizes the historical significance to the nation, and supports the continued celebration, of Juneteenth Independence Day (June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved African-Americans were free). Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the celebration of the end of slavery is an important and enriching part of the history and heritage of the United States; and (2) history should be regarded as a means for understanding the past and solving the challenges of the future.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 - Revises provisions concerning the post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance program to, among other things: (1) revise definitions concerning eligibility, and include certain National Guard service as service qualifying for such assistance; (2) revise assistance amounts (including monthly stipends), and types of approved programs of education; (3) allow the pursuit of educational programs at institutions other than institutions of higher learning, including on-job training and apprenticeships, flight training, and correspondence courses; (4) provide an assistance amount for programs of education pursued while on active duty; (5) repeal the limit on the use of such assistance for the payment of only one licensing or certification test; (6) allow an individual entitled to supplemental educational assistance to transfer such entitlement to the post-9/11 program; (7) provide for the transfer of unused educational benefits to family members in the case of individuals who are no longer members of the Armed Forces; (8) bar the duplication of benefits under other educational assistance programs; (9) include distance learning as an approved program of education; (10) increase the amount of the reporting fee paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to an educational institution for providing information concerning an individual's enrollment in a program of education; and (11) repeal the authority to make certain interval payments. Provides an alternate subsistence allowance amount for veterans entitled to such allowance due to service-connected disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
National Child Protection Training Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into an agreement with the National Child Protection Training Center to establish and sustain Regional Training Centers in the midwestern, northeastern, southern, and western regions of this country. Requires the Regional Training Centers to: (1) provide child protection professionals in the field with low-cost, high-quality training, technical assistance, and publications; (2) provide child protection professionals with ongoing training and assistance in developing evidence-based community prevention programs; (3) develop model undergraduate and graduate curricula on child maltreatment and, upon the Secretary's approval, disseminate them to institutions of higher education (IHEs); and (4) assist states in developing and maintaining forensic interview training programs. Directs the National Child Protection Training Center to award grants to state and local governments and other nonprofit entities to: (1) assist state and local child protection professionals in developing statewide forensic interview training programs; or (2) expand forensic interview training programs to provide for additional, advanced forensic interview training courses. Directs the National Child Protection Training Center to award grants to state and local governments and other nonprofit entities to assist IHEs in implementing or expanding model undergraduate or graduate curricula on child abuse and neglect.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to provide rebates for expenditures made by entities: (1) for the purchase and installation of a new electric motor that has a nominal full load efficiency that is not less than the nominal full load efficiency as defined in NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) Standards Publication MG 1-2006 for random wound motors rated 600 volts or lower or for form wound motors rated 5000 volts or lower; and (2) to replace an installed motor the specifications of which are to be established by the Secretary not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act. Requires the Secretary to provide to the distributor of each such new electric motor purchased by an entity that received a rebate a payment to offset expenses relating to processing and motor core disposal costs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) sanitary measures affecting trade in beef and beef products between the United States and China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam should be based on science; (2) since banning U.S. beef in December 2003, such countries have failed to comply with internationally-recognized World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) scientific guidelines with respect to U.S. beef and beef products; (3) these countries should fully comply with such guidelines, and open their markets to U.S. beef product exporters; and (4) the President should continue to insist on full access for U.S. beef product exporters to the markets of such countries.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2010
Supply Star Act of 2010 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to establish within the Department of Energy (DOE) a Supply Star program to identify and promote practices, companies, and products that use highly efficient supply chains in a manner that conserves energy, water, and other resources. Directs the Secretary of Energy to coordinate efforts with the Energy Star program. Requires the Secretary to: (1) promote practices, companies, and products that comply with the Supply Star program as the preferred practices, companies, and products in the marketplace for maximizing supply chain efficiency; (2) work to enhance industry and public awareness of the program; (3) collect and disseminate data on supply chain energy resource consumption; (4) develop and disseminate metrics, processes, and analytical tools (including software) for evaluating supply chain energy resource use; (5) develop guidance at the sector level for improving supply chain efficiency; (6) work with domestic and international organizations to harmonize approaches to analyzing supply chain efficiency; and (7) work with industry, including small businesses, to improve supply chain efficiency through activities that include developing and sharing best practices and providing opportunities to benchmark supply chain efficiency. Directs the Secretary to consider energy and resource use throughout the entire lifecycle of a product. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants or other incentives on a competitive basis to eligible entities for purposes of: (1) studying supply chain energy resource efficiency; and (2) demonstrating and achieving reductions in the energy resource consumption of commercial products through changes and improvements to the production supply and distribution chain of the products. Directs the Secretary to use funds to support professional training programs to develop and communicate methods, practices, and tools for improving supply chain efficiency.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2010
Recognizes National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system. Encourages Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system. Supports the designation of a National Foster Care Month.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2010
Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2010 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct the Secretary of Energy (DOE), acting through the Office of Energy and Renewable Energy, to act as the lead federal agency for coordinating and disseminating information on existing federal programs and assistance that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools. Requires the Secretary to: (1) carry out a review of existing programs and financing mechanisms available in or from appropriate federal agencies with jurisdiction over energy financing and facilitation that are currently used or may be used for such purposes; (2) establish a federal cross-departmental collaborative coordination, education, and outreach effort to streamline communication and promote available federal opportunities and assistance for such projects that enables states, local educational agencies, and schools to use existing federal opportunities more effectively and to form partnerships with governors, state energy programs, local educational, financial, and energy officials, state and local officials, nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate entities to support project initiation; (3) provide technical assistance for states, local educational agencies, and schools to help develop and finance projects that meet specified requirements; (4) develop and maintain a single online resource website with contact information for relevant technical assistance and support staff in the Office for states, local educational agencies, and schools to effectively access and use federal opportunities and assistance to develop such projects; and (5) establish a process for recognition of schools that have successfully implemented such projects and are willing to serve as resources for other local educational agencies and schools to assist initiation of similar efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2010
Child Welfare Workforce Study Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to study and report to the Secretary and Congress on child welfare staff. Requires the Secretary, based on recommendations in the report, to issue regulations that require states to collect and report data on child welfare staff regularly and in a manner that enables the data to be linked to the outcomes achieved for individual children served by the state or local child welfare agency involved.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2010
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 - Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to revise the school lunch and breakfast programs, the summer food service program, the child and adult care food program (CACFP), and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC program). Reauthorizes appropriations for such programs through FY2015. Includes among such revisions: (1) encouraging the direct certification of children who receive other public assistance as eligible for free meals under the school lunch and breakfast programs; (2) establishing new mechanisms by which schools or local educational agencies (LEAs) with very high proportions of low-income children can receive federal reimbursement for free or reduced price meals under such programs without collecting individual paper applications from households; (3) expanding the program of afterschool meals for at-risk children under the CACFP; (4) requiring updates to meal patterns and nutrition standards for the school lunch and breakfast programs based on recommendations made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS); (5) requiring LEAs participating in the school lunch and breakfast programs to establish local school wellness policies for their schools that include goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness; (6) requiring the establishment of science-based nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools outside the school lunch and breakfast programs; (7) requiring reimbursable meals provided under the CACFP to meet the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans and certain authoritative scientific recommendations; (8) encouraging WIC program participants to breastfeed; and (9) requiring WIC electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems to be implemented nationwide by October 1, 2020. Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to replace the current nutrition education program under such Act with a program providing grants to states for the implementation of a nutrition education and obesity prevention program that promotes healthy food choices consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2010
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act or the DISCLOSE Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to prohibit: (1) independent expenditures and payments for electioneering communications by government contractors if the value of the contract is at least $50,000; and (2) recipients of assistance under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) from making any contribution to any political party, committee, or candidate for public office, or to any person for any political purpose or use, or from making any independent expenditure or disbursing any funds for an electioneering communication. Applies the ban on contributions and expenditures by foreign nationals to foreign-controlled domestic corporations. Treats as contributions: (1) any payments by any person (except a candidate, a candidate's authorized committee, or a political committee of a political party) for coordinated communications; and (2) political party communications made on behalf of candidates if made under the control or direction of a candidate or a candidate's authorized committee. Revises the definition of independent expenditure to mean, in part, an expenditure that, when taken as a whole, expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or is the functional equivalent of express advocacy. Requires any person making independent expenditures exceeding $10,000 to file a report within 24 hours. Increases the period before a general election during which a communication shall be considered an electioneering communication. Requires corporations, labor organizations, and other covered organizations to include specified additional information in reports on independent expenditures of at least $10,000. Sets forth special rules for the use of general treasury funds by covered organizations for campaign-related activity. Authorizes covered organizations to make optional use of a separate Campaign-Related Activity Account for making disbursements for campaign-related activity. Prescribes additional information to be included in certain radio or television communications by persons (including significant funders of campaign-related communications of a covered organization) other than a candidate, a candidate's authorized committee, or a political committee of a political party. Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require registered lobbyists to report information on independent expenditures or electioneering communications of at least $1,000 to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Amends FECA to require Senate candidates to file all designations, statements, and reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), instead of the Secretary of the Senate, as under current law. Requires certain covered organizations to disclose to shareholders, members, or donors information on disbursements for campaign-related activity. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) extend the equal opportunities requirement and censorship prohibition applicable to candidates for public office to national committees of political parties; (2) grant political parties reasonable access to purchase broadcasting time at the lowest unit charged; (3) limit to the lowest unit charge the charges for the use during certain periods before an election of any broadcasting station by any person who is a legally qualified candidate for any federal office; and (4) require covered organizations to notify the FEC and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) when aggregate disbursements first equal or exceed $50,000. Directs the FCC to conduct random audits of designated market areas to ensure that broadcasting stations are allocating broadcasting time for legally qualified candidates for federal office in accordance with this Act. Authorizes judicial review of the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2010
Prohibits the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from revising, updating, or publishing any flood insurance rate map under its Flood Map Modernization Program for any counties that are protected by a structure built or maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers unless the owner of, or the community protected by, such structure has been: (1) formally notified of any deficiencies in the structure; and (2) afforded seven years to rectify any deficiencies that would affect the flood insurance rate map for the area. Prohibits the Administrator, until after such seven years, from: (1) requiring property owners in any such county who were not required to purchase flood insurance prior to the date of this Act's enactment to purchase such insurance; or (2) increasing the flood insurance premium for any such owners.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2010
Congratulates the outstanding professionals of the National Resources Conservation Service on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. Expresses the continued commitment of Congress to the conservation of natural resources on private lands in both the national interest and as a national priority.
![Official portrait of Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000035_200.jpg)