United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2005
Quality Education for All Act - Extends authorizations of appropriations under: (1) the Head Start Act (HSA); and (2) the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBGA). Revises HSA provisions for: (1) Indian and migrant and seasonal programs; (2) expanded access to Early Head Start and Head Start; (3) part-day to full-day programs; (4) school readiness standards; (5) staff training, development, and salaries; and (6) tribal college or university partnership. Revises CCDBGA requirements for staff training and child care quality improvement activities. Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants to rural local educational agencies for purchasing new school buses. Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding: (1) fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by 2011; (2) funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA); and (3) increasing the maximum Pell Grant under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). Revises ESEA requirements for: (1) public school choice, supplemental educational services, and teacher quality; (2) adequate yearly progress determinations; (3) technical assistance; (4) assessment and accountability; and (5) prohibiting discrimination. Revises HEA to provide for: (1) extending and increasing authorizations of appropriations for TRIO and GEARUP programs; (2) no reduction of student aid eligibility based on updates to tax tables; (3) demonstration grants to help low-income students enroll in summer courses to complete their college degrees; and (4) tuition-free college for mathematics, science, and special education teachers, through additional amounts of student loan forgiveness. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) expand the deduction for higher education expenses; (2) establish a credit for interest on higher education loans; and (3) make Hope and Lifetime Learning credits refundable.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2005
Fulfilling Our Duty to America's Veterans Act of 2005 - States that, upon enactment, funding for the programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration shall be provided through a combination of discretionary and mandatory funding in order to ensure access to health care for all veterans. Requires: (1) the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the extent to which such funding has achieved its objectives; and (2) congressional consideration of such report via the joint resolution process. Provides for: (1) post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for veterans of service in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Global War on Terrorism; and (2) a review by each military department of the sufficiency of its military health care programs. Authorizes Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacies to dispense medications to Medicare-eligible veterans on prescriptions written by private practitioners. Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2005 - Requires the full concurrent payment of military retired pay and service-connected disability compensation. Requires a joint report from the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs on the development of interoperable electronic records for military personnel and veterans that are utilized by both departments. Expands preseparation physical examination and counseling requirements. Authorizes such Secretaries to carry out epidemiological studies relating to health conditions that develop as a result of occupational exposure during military service. Requires such Secretaries to develop protocols to facilitate the sharing of members' and veterans' duty assignments and medical conditions information. Increased Government Commitment to Veterans' Education Act - Provides for the: (1) exclusion of basic pay contributions for participation in veterans' educational assistance from computations used to determine eligibility for student financial aid; and (2) opportunity to enroll in a basic educational assistance program for certain individuals who participated, or were eligible to participate, in the post-Vietnam era veterans' educational assistance program.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2005
Expresses: (1) sympathy for the victims and families of the earthquake and tsunami that struck communities throughout Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Eastern Africa on December 26, 2004; and (2) gratitude and respect for the work of all aid and relief personnel, including U.S. military personnel. Supports President George W. Bush's pledge of $350,000,000 in direct financial assistance, and additional indirect assistance, through the dispatch of U.S. military assets and personnel and through substantial voluntary and annual contributions to international organizations and bodies. Commends the ongoing international relief effort. Recognizes that U.S. Government assistance will be greatly supplemented by private U.S. donations and volunteers. Supports the long-term U.S. commitment to provide financial aid and other assistance to the impacted region.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2004
Microenterprise Results and Accountability Act of 2004 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal existing microenterprise development grant authority and reestablish and revise it as a separate title, title VI - Microenterprise Development Assistance, which shall be administered by an Office of Microenterprise Development (established by this Act) within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2004
Amends the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 to authorize appropriations for: (1) home energy grants; and (2) the incentive program for leveraging non-federal resources.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2004
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow combat zone compensation (otherwise excludable from gross income) to be treated as earned income for purposes of the earned income tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2004
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States should engage in international dialogue regarding mercury pollution, use, mining, and trade. Calls for the President to: (1) prepare a strategy to advance and enter into international negotiations on an agreement that addresses the reduction of the global use, trade, and releases of mercury; (2) enter into agreements to align global mercury production with reduced global demand and to minimize global mercury releases while negotiating such an agreement; (3) initiate and support a parallel international research effort to collect global data for a comprehensive inventory of mercury use, mining, trade, and releases and to develop less emitting technologies and technologies to reduce the need for, and use of, mercury in commerce; (4) review U.S. monitoring capabilities and data collection efforts for mercury use, trade, and releases; and (5) work through existing international organizations to encourage the development of programs, standards, and trade agreements to reduce the use and trade of mercury, eliminate primary mercury mining, and reduce releases of mercury and other long-range transboundary air pollutants.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2004
Public Transportation Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to define and clarify the respective public transportation security roles and responsibilities of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Requires DOT's Federal Transit Administration to submit all public transportation security assessments to DHS and the Secretary to review and augment such assessments. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish security improvement priorities and to update them annually; (2) conduct assessments of all transit agencies considered to be at greatest risk of a terrorist attack, of local bus-only public transportation systems, and of selected rural transportation systems; and (3) use information collected to establish the process for developing security guidelines. Directs the Secretary to award grants directly to public transportation agencies for allowable capital security improvements (including tunnel and perimeter protection systems and surveillance and communications equipment); and (2) operational security improvements (including security training for transit employees, drills, public awareness campaigns, and canine patrols for chemical, biological, or explosives detection). Directs the Secretary to: (1) ensure that DOT receives appropriate and timely notification of all credible terrorist threats against U.S. public transportation assets; and (2) award grants for research, development, and demonstration of technologies and methods to reduce and deter terrorist threats or mitigate damages resulting from such attacks. Requires DHS to fund the reasonable costs of an Information Sharing and Analysis Center for Public Transportation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2004
International Remittance Consumer Protection Act of 2004 - Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to require a remittance transfer provider to: (1) clearly and conspicuously make specified disclosures in writing and in a form that the consumer may keep to each consumer requesting a remittance transfer; and (2) make such disclosures in English and in the same languages principally used by the remittance transfer provider, or its agents at that office, if other than English. Prescribes error resolution guidelines and remedies governing remittance transfer errors. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to publish electronically on each business day the foreign currencies dollar exchange rate. Subjects a remittance transfer provider to liability for violations committed by its agents or subsidiaries. Amends the Federal Credit Union Act to empower Federal Credit Unions to: (1) provide remittance transfers to persons in the field of membership; and (2) to cash checks and money orders for such persons for a fee. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to work with the Federal reserve banks to expand the use of the automated clearinghouse system for remittance transfers to foreign countries. Requires certain Federal banking agencies to provide guidelines to financial institutions regarding the offering of low-cost remittance transfers and no-cost or low-cost basic consumer accounts, as well as agency services to remittance transfer providers. Requires such agencies and the Secretary to assist the Financial Literacy and Education Commission in improving the financial literacy and education of consumers who send remittances.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2004
Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004 - Authorizes the Secretaries of Education, of State, and of Health and Human Services to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, Special Olympics for specified education, international, and health activities, including ones promoting Special Olympics and a greater understanding of contributions to society by individuals with intellectual disabilities both within and outside of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2004
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004, Part VI - Extends Federal highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, and transit programs for five months, and authorizes appropriations, through March 31, 2005. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) apportion funds made available for Federal-aid highway programs under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) to each State according to the ratio of the State's FY 2004 obligation authority to the FY 2004 obligation authority for all States; and (2) ensure that each State is apportioned funds for the Interstate maintenance program, the National Highway System program, the bridge program, the surface transportation program, the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program, the recreational trails program, the Appalachian development highway system program, and the minimum guarantee. Sets forth provisions: (1) for reducing future apportionments, and for recovering funds not apportioned, under a multi-year law reauthorizing the Federal-aid highway program that is enacted after enactment of this Act; and (2) prohibiting after March 31, 2005, the obligation of any Federal-aid highway program funds until the date of enactment of a multi-year law reauthorizing such program that is enacted after enactment of this Act. Authorizes appropriations through May 31, 2005, for specified Federal-aid highway programs, highway safety programs, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration program, the Motor Carrier Safety Administration program, and Federal transit programs. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend authorization for the use of the Highway Trust Fund (including the mass transit account) and the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund for obligations under TEA-21.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2004
Congratulates the citizens of Greece, the members of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the International Olympic Committee, the U.S. Olympic Committee, the members, coaches, and officials of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team, athletes from around the world, and the security personnel and volunteers who ensured that the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens was a great success for a job well done.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Children's Health Protection and Improvement Act of 2004 - Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the extended availability through FY 2004 of SCHIP allotments for FY 1998 through 2001. Specifies formulae for amounts to be used in computing redistributions for FY 2003, 2003, and 2004. Provides for reallocation of 70 percent of the expiring FY 1998, 1999, and 2000 funds to States that have fully expended their annual allotments. Extends the availability of the remaining 30 percent of such expiring funds with the States that currently have them. Permits 50 percent of the total amount of a State's unexpended FY 2002 SCHIP allotments to remain available through FY 2006. Permits 50 percent of the total amount of a State's unexpended FY 2003 and 2004 SCHIP allotments to remain available through the end of FY 2007. Requires redistribution of the other 50 percent of such funds to States that have fully spent their allotments during the three-year period they were available. Requires a second redistribution according to the same 70-30 formula of any retained or redistributed funds still unexpended at the end of the two-year extention or redistribution. Provides for continued authority for qualifying States to use certain funds for Medicaid expenditures.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Social Security COLA Protection Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to limit increases in the monthly Medicare premium, including the Medicare Advantage prescription drug program premium, to 25 percent of any Social Security cost of living increase.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Children's Access to Vision Act of 2004 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to make grants to States for: (1) comprehensive eye examinations for children needing such services, with priority for children under nine years old; (2) subsequent vision treatment or services; and (3) educational materials on recognizing signs of visual impairment in children. Directs the Secretary to coordinate the grant program with appropriate Federal and State child services programs. Requires an annual State program evaluation.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Declares that the steel import licensing and monitoring program established by the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Commerce shall remain in effect and be established by the Secretary of Commerce as a permanent program. Requires the Secretaries to expand the program to include specified iron and steel, and articles of iron and steel. Requires release of the import and licensing data made available to the public as part of this program, based upon classifications at the tenth digit level of the Harmonized Schedule of the United States. Grants the Secretaries authority to maintain the program and to expand it as necessary and appropriate in accordance with this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Designates the month of September 2004 as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Declares that the Federal Government has a responsibility to: (1) raise awareness about the importance of screening methods and treatment of prostate cancer; (2) increase research funding that is commensurate with the burden of the disease so that the causes of, and improved screening, treatments, and a cure for, prostate cancer may be discovered; and (3) continue to consider ways for improving access to, and the quality of, health care services for detecting and treating prostate cancer. Requests the President to call upon Americans, interested groups, and affected persons to promote awareness of prostate cancer, to take an active role in ending the devastating effects of prostate cancer on individuals, their families, and the economy, and to observe the month of September 2004 with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
States that Congress declares that the atrocities unfolding in Darfur, Sudan, are genocide. Reminds the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, particularly the Government of Sudan, of their legal obligations under the Convention. Declares that the Government of Sudan has violated such Convention. Deplores the United Nations Human Rights Commission's failure to take appropriate action with respect to the crisis in Darfur, particularly the Commission's failure to support U.S.-sponsored efforts to strongly condemn gross human rights violations committed in Darfur. Calls upon the United Nations (UN) and the UN Secretary General to assert leadership by calling the atrocities being committed in Darfur genocide. Calls on UN member states, particularly member states from the African Union, the Arab League, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, to undertake measures to prevent the genocide in Darfur from escalating further, including the imposition of targeted sanctions against those responsible for the atrocities. Commends the Administration's leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to the Darfur conflict and in addressing the ensuing humanitarian crisis, including the visit of Secretary of State Colin Powell to Darfur in June 2004, to engage directly in efforts to end the genocide, and the provision of nearly $140 million in bilateral humanitarian assistance through the United States Agency for International Development (AID). Commends the President for appointing former Senator John Danforth as Envoy for Peace in Sudan, and further commends the appointment of Senator Danforth as U.S. Ambassador to the UN. Calls on the Administration to: (1) continue to lead an international effort to stop genocide in Darfur; and (2) impose targeted means, including visa bans and the freezing of assets, against officials of the Government of Sudan and Janjaweed militia commanders who are responsible for the war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Calls on AID to establish a Darfur Resettlement, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Calls for the Government of the United Kingdom to enter into negotiations with the Government of Greece as soon as possible to facilitate the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2004
Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 to increase FY 2004 loan guarantee ceilings for mortgage insurance under the Special Risk Insurance Fund and the General Insurance Fund from $25 billion to $29 billion.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2004
Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make matching grants to States (40 percent) and localities (60 percent) to supplement State and local assistance for the preservation and promotion of low-income housing. States that grants shall be: (1) used for housing project acquisition, rehabilitation, capital expenditures, and related development costs; or (2) to eligible nonprofit entities for operational, working capital, and organizational expenses, and predevelopment activities to acquire housing that will remain affordable for low-income or very low-income families. Sets forth eligibility requirements for: (1) projects with Department of Housing and Urban Development-insured mortgages; (2) projects with section 8 project based assistance; (3) projects purchased by residents; and (4) rural rental assistance projects.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2004
Calls for the President to designate the week of November 7-13, 2003, as National Veterans Awareness Week to emphasize educational programs for elementary and secondary school students regarding the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2004
Federal Law Enforcement Pension Adjustment Equity Act of 2004 - Amends the Law Enforcement Pay Equity Act of 2000 to repeal a prohibition against treatment as an increase in salary, for purposes of increased annuitant pension benefits, of the conversion of positions and members of the U.S. Park Police and the Secret Service Uniformed Division to a new salary schedule, and the associated initial adjustments in basic pay rates. (Thus permits cost-of-living adjustments in pension benefits for annuitants of the U.S. Park Police and the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division.)
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2004
Geriatric and Chronic Care Management Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to provide for Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) coverage of geriatric assessments and chronic care management services for eligible individuals. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on: (1) the effectiveness of the different payment methodologies applicable with respect to chronic care management services developed and implemented under this Act; (2) the effectiveness of the pay for performance programs to serve Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions, including dementia; (3) process measures and outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic illnesses, including dementia; (4) the cost-effectiveness and quality associated with chronic care management under the Medicare program; and (5) the feasibility of broadening and incorporating the findings of the Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE) study into the Medicare program.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2004
NIH Security Act - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a permanent police force, to be known as the National of Institutes of Health Police, to perform law enforcement, security, and investigative functions for property under the jurisdiction, custody, and control of, or occupied by, NIH. Permits officers in such force to be appointed without regard to the standard maximum age limits under Federal law, with officers appointed above a standard maximum age limit not counted as law enforcement officers for purposes of retirement benefits. Authorizes NIH Police officers to: (1) carry firearms; (2) serve warrants and subpoenas; (3) make arrests; (4) conduct investigations within the United States; and (5) protect within the United States the Director and other NIH officials as authorized by the Director. Allows NIH Police officers to exercise such powers on all NIH properties and on other properties occupied by NIH, as determined by the Director. Confers upon NIH Police the same pay and benefits as provided to other Federal law enforcement officers.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2004
Requires the Architect of the Capitol to enter into a contract to revise the statue commemorating women's suffrage located in the rotunda of the United States Capitol (known as the Portrait Monument) to include a likeness of Sojourner Truth.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2004
Prescription Drug Price Comparison for Savings Act of 2004 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and maintain an Internet website using the information supplied by participating pharmacies to allow an individual to compare for each zip code the usual and customary prices for a range of strengths and quantities of covered outpatient drugs sold by retail pharmacies that receive Medicaid payments. Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to direct States to: (1) require a participating pharmacy, concurrent with filling a prescription for an individual receiving assistance under Medicaid, to report to the State its zip code and the usual and customary price for the covered outpatient drug as of the date the prescription is filled; and (2) submit this information to the Secretary to enable the Secretary to post monthly updates on the website.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2004 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) phase out the waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits under SSA title XVIII (Medicare); and (2) eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions to become eligible for Medicare benefits. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to request that the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences conduct a study on the range of disability conditions that can be delayed or prevented if individuals receive access to health care services and coverage before the condition reaches disability levels.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2004
Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004 - States that whoever intentionally induces any copyright infringement shall be liable as an infringer.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2004
Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to make Alzheimer's disease research a priority within the National Institute on Aging. Requires the Director of the Institute to: (1) undertake an Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Initiative to accelerate the discovery of new risk and protective factors, to rapidly identify therapies and preventive interventions, and to implement effective prevention and treatment strategies; (2) conduct and support cooperative clinical research regarding Alzheimer's; and (3) conduct research concerning early detection and diagnosis, the relationship between Alzheimer's and vascular disease, and interventions designed to help caregivers. Authorizes the Director to establish a National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center to facilitate collaboration among Alzheimer's Disease Centers and Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to educate the public and public health community regarding Alzheimer's disease. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants or cooperative agreements to develop coordinated respite care programs on a statewide basis. Defines "respite care" to mean planned or emergency care provided to a child or adult with a special need in order to provide temporary relief to the family caregiver of such child or adult. Directs the Secretary to award a grant or cooperative agreement to a public or private nonprofit entity to establish a National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a nonrefundable tax credit for each individual certified as having long-term care needs and for whom the taxpayer is acting as a caregiver; (2) a tax deduction for long-term care premiums paid under a qualified insurance contract; and (3) qualified long-term care insurance to be offered in a cafeteria plan and flexible spending arrangements.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2004
Amends the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004 to revise the per-unit cost calculation for expiring tenant-based rental assistance contracts under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2004
Amends Federal law relating to the procurement protest system to modify the term "interested party" to mean, with respect to a public private competition conducted under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 regarding performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency, that such term includes: (1) any official who submitted the agency tender in such competition; and (2) any one person who, for the purpose of representing them in a protest that relates to such competition, has been designated as their agent by a majority of the employees of such agency who are engaged in the performance of such activity or function. Directs the Comptroller General, for protests in cases of public-private competitions under such Circular regarding performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency, to administer provisions relating to such system in a manner best suited for expediting final resolution of such protests and final action in such competitions. States that, if a private sector interested party commences an action objecting to a solicitation by a Federal agency for bids or proposals for a proposed contract or to a proposed award or the award of a contract or any alleged violation of statute or regulation in connection with a procurement or a proposed procurement, in a public-private competition conducted under such Circular regarding performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency, then an official or person described as an interested party under this Act shall be entitled to intervene in that action. Applies paragraphs one and three to: (1) protests and civil actions that challenge final selections of sources of performance of an activity or function of a Federal agency that are made pursuant to studies initiated under such Circular on or after January 2004; and (2) any other protests and civil actions that relate to public-private competitions initiated under such Circular on or after this Act's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2004
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the President should: (1) directly confront OPEC and challenge it to increase oil production immediately; (2) direct the Federal Trade Commission and Attorney General to exercise vigorous oversight over the oil markets to protect the American people from price gouging and unfair practices at the gasoline pump; and (3) suspend deliveries of oil to the SPR and release 1,000,000 barrels of oil per day from the SPR for 30 days following the date of adoption of this resolution, and if necessary, for an additional 30 days beyond that.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2004
Student Bill of Rights - Directs the Secretary of Education to make annual determinations as to whether each State's public school system provides all its students with educational resources to succeed academically and in life. Requires such education to enable students to: (1) acquire knowledge and skills necessary for responsible citizenship; (2) meet challenging academic achievement standards; and (3) compete and succeed in a global economy. Requires each system to do so through: (1) providing specified fundamentals of educational opportunity to students at each public elementary and secondary school; (2) providing educational services in school districts that receive funds for disadvantaged students that are, taken as a whole, at least comparable to educational services provided in school districts not receiving such funds; and (3) complying with any final Federal or State court order in any matter concerning the adequacy or equitableness of the system. Requires withholding of specified portions of its Federal funding for administrative expenses if a system: (1) fails to meet a yearly interim goal; (2) does not remedy, after two school years, a failure to provide comparable educational services to schools that receive funds for disadvantaged children; or (3) does not comply with a court order. Allows students or parents aggrieved by violations of this Act to bring civil actions for enforcement in Federal district courts.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2004
Expresses the grateful thanks of the Nation to the more than 16 million individuals who served in the Army, Army Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine in World War II and to the millions of Americans on the home front who contributed to the war effort. Recognizes the dedication of the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2004, as an occasion to acknowledge and pay tribute to those members of the Armed Forces who served in World War II, who are known collectively as the Greatest Generation.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2004
Assistance to Firefighters Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal Fire Protection and Control Act of 1974 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (currently, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)) to make grants to State fire departments for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of the public and fire-fighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards, and to provide assistance for fire prevention programs. Authorizes grants to: (1) volunteer emergency medical service (EMS) organizations; and (2) obtain automated external defibrillator devices. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish specific criteria for the preliminary review of applications; (2) review such criteria at least annually; (3) award grants based on the review of grant applications by a panel of fire service personnel appointed by a national organization recognized for expertise in the operation and administration of fire services; (4) provide for the administration of the review panel and ensure that an individual appointed to such panel is a recognized expert in fire-fighting, medical services provided by fire services, fire prevention, or research on firefighter safety; and (5) provide assistance with the preparation of grant applications. Expands program eligibility. Reduces limitations regarding matching funds. Increases the amount a grant recipient may receive. Earmarks funds for volunteer EMS organizations. Directs: (1) the Secretary to study and report to Congress on firefighter assistance; and (2) the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the administration of assistance and on the Secretary's success in administering FEMA.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2004
Commends all Americans serving nobly abroad. Condemns the despicable acts at Abu Ghraib prison and joins with the President in expressing apology for the humiliation suffered by the prisoners in Iraq and their families. Urges: (1) the Government of the United States to take appropriate measures to ensure that such acts do not occur in the future; and (2) that all individuals responsible for such acts be held accountable. Expresses the belief that the appropriate Senate committees and the President should conduct a full investigation of the abuses alleged to have occurred at Abu Ghraib.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2004
Lead-Free Drinking Water Act of 2004 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to revise the national primary drinking water regulation for lead to provide adequate protection for individuals affected by lead contamination, particularly vulnerable populations. Requires the revised regulation to establish a maximum contaminant level or a drinking water treatment technique that meets specified criteria. Directs community water systems or nontransient noncommunity water systems to: (1) annually replace a percentage of non-lead free service lines until all such lines are replaced; (2) provide notice to individuals and entities that may be exposed to lead contamination; (3) provide water lead test results to tested residences; (4) establish a public education program on lead in drinking water; and (5) provide water filters to each residence, school, and day care facility in the service area that reasonably could experience lead contamination. Requires the General Services Administration to conduct water supply testing in Federal buildings and to take related action. Directs each water system to test drinking water for lead contamination within one year. Requires the Administrator to revise monitoring requirements under the national primary drinking water regulation to incorporate specified criteria. Redefines "lead free" to reduce acceptable lead levels in specified drinking water hardware. Requires new plumbing parts and components to be lead free by January 1, 2005. Requires the Administrator to establish a grant program to address lead contamination in school drinking water.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2004
Amends the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 to: (1) provide for the establishment of additional Boys and Girls Clubs of America; and (2) ensure that such facilities are in operation by January 1, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2004
Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2004 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the Federal minimum wage to: (1) $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after enactment of this Act; (2) $6.45 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day; and (3) $7.00 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day. Makes Federal minimum wage requirements applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Sets forth a transition period during which a specified minimum wage there shall be gradually increased to equal the Federal minimum wage. .
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2004
States that Congress: (1) applauds the Republic of South Africa for the remarkable transition to a democratic government and the tremendous progress achieved during ten years of majority rule; (2) looks forward to a continued partnership with South Africa focused on a sustained commitment to the health of South Africans; and (3) anticipates continued social development and economic growth in South Africa.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2004
Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services: (1) to develop and implement a National Arthritis Action Plan; and (2) acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct, support, and promote the coordination of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases research. Requires the Secretary to award grants to: (1) support arthritis-specific research projects at the Centers for Prevention Research by the CDC; (2) support State comprehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and public health surveillance, prevention, and control activities; and (3) assist in the implementation of a national strategy for arthritis control and prevention. Requires the Secretary to coordinate a national education and outreach program on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Requires the Secretary to establish an Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Interagency Coordinating Committee to: (1) improve coordination of Federal research activities related to arthritis and rheumatic diseases; and (2) convene a summit to provide a detailed overview of such current Federal research. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health to expand and intensify juvenile arthritis research and related programs, including by awarding grants to establish new research programs. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to award grants to support the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on juvenile arthritis. Requires the Secretary to promote and support pediatric rheumatology training, including by allowing the Secretary to establish a loan repayment program. Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the economic impact of arthritis in the workplace.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2004
Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise provisions governing the importation of prescription drugs. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations allowing the importation of prescription drugs by registered exporters or registered importers from Canada within 90 days of passage of this Act and from Australia, European Union countries, Japan, New Zealand, or Switzerland within one year. Provides for inspection, tracking of drugs, and registration and inspection fees for registered importers and exporters. Requires manufacturers to: (1) submit a statement to the Secretary explaining each difference between a drug approved and distributed in the United States and a related drug distributed in a foreign country; and (2) submit an application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of a related drug that is distributed in a foreign country if there is no comparable drug already approved in at least half of the permitted countries that can be imported to the United States. Allows for the immediate importation of prescription drugs for personal use from licensed Canadian pharmacies. Amends the Clayton Act to prohibit drug manufacturers from preventing importation by engaging in behavior such as charging higher prices or limiting supplies to registered exporters and importers or changing the form of the drug for such purpose. States that the resale in the United States of prescription drugs that were properly sold abroad is not patent infringement. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to refuse admission of drugs that violate importation provisions. Allows the destruction of certain violative shipments. Amends the Controlled Substances Act to repeal the exemption that permitted individuals to import controlled substances for personal medical use.
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