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United States · Official source
9,581 records where Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2004
Approves the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 73 South Euclid Avenue in Montauk, New York, as the "Perry B. Duryea, Jr. Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2004
Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act to provide for a ten-year extension of the assault weapons ban.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2004
Long Island Sound Protection Act - Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to revise requirements for the dumping of dredged material in Long Island Sound. Prohibits dredged material from any Federal or non-Federal dredging project from being dumped, or transported for the purpose of being dumped, into Long Island Sound, Fisher's Island Sound, Block Island Sound, or Peconic Bay (including any harbor or tributary of such bodies of water) until the dredged material is determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) have, or to cause, concentrations of chemical constituents that are not greater than those concentrations present in the water column, sediments, and biota of areas proximate to, but unaffected by, the proposed disposal site; and (2) meet certain Federal dumping requirements. Prohibits dumping or transportation for dumping into any covered body of water, except at a site designated by the Administrator, and upon a determination that no feasible alternative to ocean disposal (including sediment remediation, beneficial reuse, and land-based alternatives) is available prior to the time of designation. Requires the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator, before designation of a dredged material disposal site in a covered body of water, to develop a dredged material management plan and to submit it to Congress and to the Governors of the States of Connecticut and New York for their approval.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2004
Credit Card Minimum Payment Warning Act - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to include among the mandatory disclosures at each billing cycle of open end consumer credit plans: (1) the words "Minimum Payment Warning: Making only the minimum payment will increase the amount of interest that you pay and the time it will take to repay your outstanding balance;" ( 2) the number of years and months it would take the consumer to pay the entire amount of the balance if the consumer pays only the required minimum monthly payments; ( 3) the total cost to the consumer, as well as a breakdown in principal and interest payments, of paying that balance in full if the consumer pays only the required minimum monthly payments, and if no further advances are made; (4) the monthly payment amount that would be required to eliminate the outstanding balance in 36 months if no further advances are made; and (5) a toll-free telephone number for information about accessing credit counseling and debt management services. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Trade Commission to issue jointly guidelines for creditors to establish and maintain a toll-free telephone number for such disclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2004
Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act - Directs the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) created by this Act to establish a modern system for regulating rates and classes for market-dominant products. Specifies regulatory requirements for workshare discounts. Authorizes the United States Postal Service (USPS) to enter into service agreements with customers that provide for postal service under terms different from those otherwise applicable to market-dominant products. Directs USPS Governors to establish rates and classes for products in the competitive category of mail. Authorizes the USPS to conduct market tests of experimental products. Establishes a Postal Service Competitive Products Fund. Prohibits the USPS from engaging in unfair competition. Abrogates the USPS's immunity from suit for violations of the Trademark Act of 1946 and those provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act concerning unfair or deceptive acts or practices. Sets forth qualifications and requirements for Governors. Requires the appointment of a mediator (in lieu of current factfinding panel) in the event of USPS labor disputes. Replaces the Postal Rate Commission with the Postal Regulatory Commission. Modifies the USPS's contributions to the Civil Service Retirement System. Establishes a USPS Retiree Health Benefits Fund. Repeals a provision of the Postal Civil Service Retirement System Funding Reform Act of 2003 which addressed the disposition of savings under that Act. Addresses the temporary disability and disability retirement of postal employees.
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
Stop Crystal Meth Act of 2004 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to lower the threshold quantities of mixtures or substances containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine to which penalties for controlled substances violations apply.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2004
Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community Act of 2004 - Establishes the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community to develop a plan of action for the establishment and maintenance of a National Museum of the American Latino Community in Washington, D.C.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2004
Medical Readiness and Tracking Act of 2004 - Directs the Comptroller General to carry out a health study of Armed Forces reservists called or ordered to active duty for more than 30 days in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Requires Selected Reserve members not on active duty to undergo physical fitness examinations every 30 months. Dispenses with physical fitness certification requirements. Requires reassignment or separation of reservists who are not medically qualified for performance of their duties. Requires the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to establish a policy on deferral of medical treatment for reservists pending deployment. Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a health assessment program for Armed Forces recruits; (2) convene a working group to improve the medical tracking system for deployed members of the Armed Forces; and (3) prescribe a Department of Defense (DOD) policy on the collection and dissemination of in-theater individual personnel location data. Requires military installation commanders to conduct an anticipated health care needs assessment of members being redeployed. Requires audits of DOD blood sample records and the health assessment database. Directs the Secretary to facilitate declassification of certain data relevant to environmental hazards exposure. Requires the Chief Information Officer of the Department of the Army to ensure that the Army Knowledge Online website includes specified information. Directs the Secretary to take action to ensure full implementation of the Force Health Protection and Readiness Program. Requires the preparation of various health-related reports.
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 · 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 · 12 May 2004
Expresses the sense of the Senate that legislation should be enacted by December 31, 2006, to provide every individual in the United States with the opportunity to purchase health insurance coverage that is the same as, or better than, the health insurance coverage available to members of Congress, at the same or lower rates.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Designates the week of August 8 through August 14, 2004, as National Health Center Week.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Recognizes the 30th anniversary of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program and reaffirms a commitment to support the use of science in governmental decision-making through such Program.
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 · 11 May 2004
States that Department of Energy Order No. 202-03-2, issued by the Secretary of Energy on August 28, 2003, is reinstated and shall remain in effect unless rescinded by an Act of Congress (thereby restoring operation of the Cross Sound Cable which transmits excess New York-generated power to Connecticut to help prevent blackouts and brownouts).
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2004
States that Congress: (1) acknowledges and welcomes the strong relationship formed between the United States and Ukraine since the restoration of Ukraine's independence in 1991; (2) recognizes that a precondition for the full integration of Ukraine into the Western community of nations, including as an equal member in institutions such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is its establishment of a democratic political system; (3) urges the Government of Ukraine to guarantee freedom of association and assembly, including the right of candidates, members of political parties, and others to freely assemble, to organize and conduct public events, and to exercise these and other rights free from intimidation or harassment; (4) urges the Government of Ukraine to meet its Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commitments on democratic elections; (5) urges the Ukrainian authorities to ensure the full transparency of election procedures before, during, and after the 2004 presidential elections; and (6) pledges its support and assistance to the Ukrainian people's establishment of a free and open democratic system, creation of a free market economy, and their country's assumption of a full and equal membership in the Western community of democracies.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2004
Federal Courts Improvement Act of 2004 - Sets forth or amends various judicial, criminal, and bankruptcy code provisions to address the Federal judicial process, including: (1) bankruptcy administrator authority to appoint and serve as bankruptcy trustees; (2) places of holding court in, and changes in the composition of, specified districts; (3) jury matters; (4) conditions of probation and supervised release; (5) the scope of diversity citizenship for resident aliens and corporations with foreign contacts; (6) wiretap order reporting requirements; (7) emergency authority to conduct court proceedings outside a court's territorial jurisdiction; and (8) certain privacy concerns in bankruptcy cases. Amends various Federal judicial code, Higher Education Act, Organic Act of Guam, Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, civil service, and other provisions to address Federal judicial personnel matters, including: (1) annuities for territorial judges; (2) compensation for Federal Judicial Center employees; (3) annual leave limits for judicial branch executives; (4) supplemental benefits for judicial branch employees; (5) student loan forgiveness for Federal defenders and student loan deferment for law clerks; (6) inclusion of judicial branch personnel in the organ donor leave program; (7) transportation and subsistence expenses for Criminal Justice Act defendants; (8) compensation in excess of the statutory maximum for defense counsel and for services other than counsel; (9) judicial branch security requirements; (10) life insurance for bankruptcy, magistrate, and territorial judges; and (11) health insurance for surviving family and spouses of judges. Prohibits knowingly recording fictitious liens against the property of Federal judges.
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
Recognizes and honors May 17, 2004, as the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Encourages all people of the United States to recognize the importance of the decision. Acknowledges the need for the Nation to recommit to the goals and purposes of this landmark decision to finally realize the dream of equal educational opportunity for all children of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2004
Expresses the sense of the Congress honoring the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Encourages all people of the United States to recognize the importance of that decision. Declares that, by celebrating the anniversary, the Nation will be able to refresh and renew the importance of equality in society.
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 · 29 April 2004
Grants a Federal charter to the Irish American Cultural Institute, Incorporated (a nonprofit corporation incorporated under the laws of New Jersey).
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2004
Approves the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2004
Long Island Sound Stewardship Act of 2004 - Establishes the Long Island Sound Stewardship System Region in Connecticut and New York. Establishes the Long Island Sound Stewardship Coordinating Committee to evaluate applications: (1) from owners or other controlling parties to have qualifying land within the Region designated as "stewardship sites" for purposes of awarding preservation funds; and (2) from government or nonprofit organizations qualified to hold conservation easements for funds to purchase land or development rights for stewardship sites. Requires the Committee to develop and publish a management plan that describes the current status of Long Island Sound, the Committee's role in protecting it, and details of the stewardship site designation program.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2004
Caribbean National Forest Act of 2004 - Designates the El Toro Wilderness in the Caribbean National Forest/Luquillo Experimental Forest in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Prohibits anything in this Act from precluding the installation and maintenance of hydrologic, meteorological, climatological, or atmospheric data collection and remote transmission facilities that are essential to the scientific research purposes of the Luquillo Experimental Forest.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2004
Preserving Access to Affordable Drugs Act of 2004 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to: (1) allow employer contributions on drug costs to count towards the catastrophic limit; and (2) provide for direct subsidies for certain State pharmaceutical assistance programs. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that employer-based plans receive the same subsidization as the Medicare prescription drug plans. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid), as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to ensure that States can provide supplemental Medicaid prescription drug coverage to complement the Medicare drug benefit for seniors who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Repeals the comparative cost adjustment program under Medicare. Amends SSA title XVIII part D, as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to allow the provision of wrap-around prescription drug coverage through Medigap.
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.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2004
Scott Campbell, Stephanie Roper, Wendy Preston, Louarna Gillis, and Nila Lynn Crime Victims' Rights Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that a crime victim has the following rights: (1) to be reasonably protected from the accused; (2) to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any public proceeding involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused and to not be excluded from any such proceeding; (3) to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding involving release, plea, or sentencing; (4) to confer with the attorney for the Government in the case; (5) to full and timely restitution as provided in law; (6) to proceedings free from unreasonable delay; and (7) to be treated with fairness and with respect for the victim's dignity and privacy. Directs: (1) the court to ensure that a victim is afforded these rights; (2) officers and employees of Federal agencies engaged in the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime to make their best efforts to see that victims are notified of, and accorded, these rights; and (3) the Attorney General to promulgate regulations to enforce victims' rights and to ensure compliance by responsible officials with the obligations respecting crime victims. Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to authorize the Director of the Office for Victims of Crime to make grants to: (1) develop, establish, and maintain programs for the enforcement of victims' rights; and (2) develop and implement state-of-the-art systems for notifying victims of important dates and developments relating to criminal proceedings. Requires: (1) the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to report annually on the number of times such victims' rights are asserted and the relief requested is denied; and (2) the Comptroller General to evaluate the effect of this Act on the treatment of victims.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2004
Restore Elector Confidence in Our Representative Democracy Act of 2004 or the RECORD Act of 2004 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require each voting system used in an election for Federal office to: (1) produce an individual voter-verifiable paper record of the vote that shall be made available for inspection and verification by the voter at the time the vote is cast; and (2) provide the voter with an opportunity to correct any error made by the system in the voter-verifiable paper record before the permanent voter-verified paper record is preserved. Requires the permanent voter verified paper record to be preserved within the polling place for later use in any manual audit. Makes such paper record the official record used for any recount. Requires the voting system accessible for individuals with disabilities, including nonvisual accessibility for the blind and visually impaired, to meet the requirements of this Act by using a mechanism that separates the function of vote generation from the function of vote casting without requiring the voter to view or handle paper. Requires each State to ensure that election officials are instructed on the right of any individual who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, other disability, or inability to read or write to be given assistance by a person chosen by that individual under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Prohibits any voting system from: (1) containing or using any software that does not disclose any source code, object code, and executable representation; or (2) using any wireless communication device. Requires any electronic voting system to: (1) use only software and hardware certified by laboratories accredited by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC); and (2) meet specified security standards. Requires each State and jurisdiction to: (1) meet the requirements of this Act in time for the November 2004 Federal general election; or (2) use a paper ballot voting system in such election. Directs the EAC, beginning with the November 2004 Federal general election, and immediately following the election, to conduct random unannounced manual mandatory recounts of the voter-verified records in two percent of the jurisdictions in each State and with respect to two percent of the ballots cast by uniformed and overseas voters. Directs the EAC to study, test, and develop best practices to enhance accessibility and voter-verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities. Requires the EAC to make certain payments to assist States in paying for implementation of the voter-verification and audit capacity requirements of this Act. Requires the EAC to report to Congress on: (1) a proposed security review and certification process for all voting systems used in Federal elections; and (2) operational and management systems applicable to such elections. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to provide security consultation services to States and local jurisdictions on the administration of Federal elections.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2004
Recognizes and commends the significant contributions of American youth. Encourages the cultivation of a common civic bond among young people dedicated to serving their neighbors, their communities, and the Nation. Urges the President to designate April 16, 2004, as National Youth Service Day.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2004
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to reauthorize for a period of five years the "Conrad State 30" program, which annually allows each State to request up to 30 waivers of the home residency requirement applicable to J-1 foreign medical graduates for medical service by those graduates in health professional shortage areas. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow State departments of public health to designate health professional shortage areas for purposes of the Conrad State 30 program (currently designated only by the Secretary of Health and Human Services). Exempts Conrad State 30 physicians from the numerical limitation on H-1B visas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2004
Border Infrastructure and Technology Integration Act of 2004 - Directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security (the Under Secretary) to study the technology, equipment, and personnel needed to address security vulnerabilities within the United States for each Bureau of Customs and Border Protection field office that has responsibility for U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico (border area). Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (the Secretary) to provide specified funds to field offices to develop innovative techniques and technologies to carry out their duties. Directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology to: (1) develop pilot programs to utilize, or increase the utilization of, aerial and ground surveillance technologies to enhance U.S. border security; and (2) work with Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies on law enforcement, emergency response, or security related responsibilities for the border area. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, to develop and implement a plan to improve communications systems and enhance information sharing. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to execute a memorandum of understanding establishing a system to: (1) monitor hospitals along the border area for signs of potential health threats or bioterror attacks; and (2) ensure cooperation and information sharing. Directs the Under Secretary to conduct a review of the Science and Technology Directorate's research and development needs and priorities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2004
Rail Security Act of 2004 - Directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security to complete a vulnerability assessment of freight and passenger rail transportation for identification of: (1) critical assets and infrastructures and threats to such assets and infrastructures; (2) vulnerabilities that are specific to the transportation of hazardous materials via railroad; and (3) security weaknesses in passenger and cargo security, transportation infrastructure, protection systems, procedural policies, communications systems, employee training, emergency response planning, and any other area identified by the assessment. Requires the Under Secretary based on the assessment to develop specific prioritized recommendations for improving rail security. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to review existing Department of Transportation (DOT) rail regulations to identify areas in which those regulations need to be revised to improve rail security. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to specified congressional committees on the rail passenger transportation security programs in Japan, member nations of the European Union (EU), and other foreign countries in order to identify effective rail transportation security measures in use in those foreign rail transportation systems, including innovative measures and screening procedures determined effective. Directs the Under Secretary to: (1) analyze the cost and feasibility of requiring security screening for passengers, baggage, and mail on passenger trains; and (2) conduct a pilot program of random security screening of passengers and baggage at a specified number of passenger rail stations served by Amtrak. Authorizes appropriations for Amtrak for certain fire and life-safety improvements and infrastructure upgrades to tunnels on the Northeast Corridor. Amends Federal transportation law to direct Amtrak to submit to the National Transportation Safety Board a plan to address the needs of families of passengers involved in rail passenger accidents. Authorizes the Under Secretary to make grants for certain system-wide Amtrak security upgrades and freight and hazardous materials transportation and passenger rail security upgrades. Establishes a research and development (R&D) program to improve freight and intercity passenger rail security. Directs the Federal Railroad Administration to set forth certain standards for welded rail and tank car safety improvements. Requires the Under Secretary to report to specified congressional committees: (1) an assessment of the current system for preclearance and screening of rail and airline passengers and baggage, as well as freight railroad traffic, between the United States and Canada; and (2) information on progress toward finalizing a protocal with Canada on preclearance of rail passengers between the two countries.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2004
Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2004 - Amends Federal shipping law to subject vessels to in rem liability for civil penalties assessed for violation of certain port security requirements and certain reimbursable costs (incurred by a service provider, including port authorities, facility or terminal operators, shipping agents, Federal, State, or local government agencies, or other person to whom management of the vessel at the port is entrusted). Grants U.S. district courts jurisdiction to restrain violations of such requirements. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to refuse or revoke port clearance to any owner, agent, master, officer, or person in charge of a vessel that is liable for a penalty or fine for violation of port security requirements. Directs the Secretary to require uncleared, unladen imported merchandise remaining on a wharf or pier for more than five days to be removed and deposited in a public store or general order warehouse for inspection, after which a delivery permit may be granted. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (HS Secretary) to review U.S. ports and report to Congress on the practices and policies in place to secure shipment of empty containers. Requires the HS Secretary to submit to Congress: (1) a preliminary plan that provides for the coordination of efforts of Federal agencies in collecting maritime information with respect to vessels, crew, passengers, cargo, and cargo shippers; and (2) a report on an intermodal cargo security plan, including progress in the installation of radiation detectors at all major U.S. seaports, willingness of foreign seaports to utilize non-intrusive inspection methods, and a plan to ensure compliance with security standards that would require ports, terminals, vessel operators, and shippers to adhere to security standards consistent with the National Transportation System Security Plan. Requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General to: (1) evaluate the DHS system for targeting international intermodal containers for inspection; and (2) increase the number of containers to be inspected at U.S. ports if such system is ineffective in detecting potential acts of terrorism utilizing such containers. Directs the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard to report to Congress on the potential benefits of establishing joint operational centers for port security at certain U.S. seaports; Directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security to establish a maritime transportation security plan grant program to implement Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans and help fund compliance with Federal security plans among port authorities, facility operators, and State and local agencies required to provide security services. Requires the Administrator of the Maritime Administration to identify foreign assistance programs that could facilitate implementation of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign countries. Amends the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary to establish a curriculum to educate and instruct Federal and State officials on commercial maritime and intermodal transportation. Shifts from the Secretary to the HS Secretary the authority to conduct research and development (R&D) on making U.S. ports safer and more secure. Requires the Secretary to identify nuclear facilities near navigable waterways and evaluate the adequacy of their security plans to protect them from damage by a transportation security incident. Requires the HS Secretary to: (1) recommend to specified congressional committees ways to coordinate background checks for all individuals engaged in transportation activities; and (2) assess and collect an international port security service fee on commercial maritime transportation entities and an international maritime transshipment security user fee on shippers of cargo and passengers. Establishes in DHS the Port Security Capital Fund to provide financial assistance to entities required to provide transportation security services.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2004
No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2004 or NOPEC - Amends the Sherman Act to declare it to be illegal and a violation of the Act for any foreign state or instrumentality thereof to act collectively or in combination with any other foreign state or any other person, whether by cartel or any other association or form of cooperation or joint action, to limit the production or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any other petroleum product (petroleum), to set or maintain the price of petroleum, or to otherwise take any action in restraint of trade for petroleum, when such action has a direct, substantial, and reasonably foreseeable effect on the market, supply, price, or distribution of petroleum in the United States. Denies a foreign state engaged in such conduct sovereign immunity from the jurisdiction or judgements of U.S. courts in any action brought to enforce this Act. States that no U.S. court shall decline, based on the act of state doctrine, to make a determination on the merits in an action brought under this Act. Authorizes the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission to bring an action in U.S. district court to enforce this Act. Amends the Federal judicial code to make an exception to the jurisdictional immunity of a foreign state in an action brought under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2004
High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) enter into contracts for security enhancements and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations; and (2) issue Federal loan guarantees in connection with loans made by financial institutions to nonprofit organizations for security enhancements and technical assistance. Permits the Secretary to guarantee only such loans that have favorable repayment terms. Directs the Secretary to designate high-risk nonprofit organizations eligible for contracts or loans based on the vulnerability of the specific site of the nonprofit to international terrorist attacks. Sets forth criteria for vulnerability determinations. Authorizes: (1) the use of federally guaranteed funds borrowed from lending institutions for technical assistance and security enhancements; (2) the Secretary to select applications for execution of security enhancement and technical assistance contracts, or issuance of loan guarantees, giving preference to the nonprofit organizations determined to be at greatest risk of international terrorist attack; (3) each State to establish a State Homeland Security Authority; and (4) the Secretary to provide grants to local governments to offset incremental costs associated with law enforcement in areas with a high concentration of nonprofit organizations. Establishes within the Department of Homeland Security the Office of Community Relations and Civic Affairs to administer grant programs for nonprofit organizations and local law enforcement assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 695 Marconi Boulevard in Copiague, New York, as the "Maxine S. Postal United States Post Office Building".
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2004
Protecting Intellectual Rights Against Theft and Expropriation Act of 2004 - Amends Federal copyright law to authorize the Attorney General (AG) to commence a civil action against any person who engages in conduct constituting copyright infringement. Directs the AG to develop a program to ensure effective implementation and use of the authority for civil enforcement of the copyright laws, including training programs for qualified personnel from the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys Offices.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2004
Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 - Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to extend the national flood insurance program's authorization through September 30, 2008. Establishes a pilot program for mitigation of severe repetitive loss properties. Authorizes the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide financial assistance to States and communities for taking actions to mitigate flood damage to such properties and losses to the National Flood Insurance Fund from such properties. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) eligible activities (activities to reduce flood damages and to purchase such properties); and (2) matching fund requirements. Provides for increased premiums of up to 150 percent of the current chargeable rate in cases of refusal to mitigate. Authorizes the Director to provide funding for mitigation actions that reduce flood damages to individual properties for which one or more claim payments for losses have been made under flood insurance coverage where such activities are determined to be in the best interest of the Fund. Requires: (1) the Director to develop specified supplemental and acknowledgment forms and a flood insurance claims handbook; and (2) the Comptroller General of the United States to study the adequacy of the scope of coverage provided under flood insurance policies, the adequacy of payments to flood victims, and the practices of FEMA and insurance adjusters in estimating losses.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2004
Electric Reliability Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal Power Act to extend Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction for purposes of approving reliability standards and enforcing compliance with this Act over a FERC-certified electric reliability organization (ERO), a regional entity, and users, owners, and operators of a bulk-power system. Prescribes procedural guidelines for: (1) certification as an ERO; (2) filing of reliability standards; and (3) imposition of penalties by either an ERO or FERC for noncompliance with this Act. Requires an ERO to file with FERC for approval of any proposed rule or rule change. Urges the President to negotiate international agreements with the governments of Canada and Mexico to provide for effective compliance with reliability standards and the efficacy of the ERO in the United States, Canada or Mexico. Requires an ERO to assess periodically the reliability and adequacy of the interconnected bulk-power system in North America. Directs FERC to establish a regional advisory body upon the petition of at least two-thirds of the States within a region that have more than half of their electric loads served within the region. Declares this Act inapplicable to Alaska or Hawaii.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2004
Rail Transportation Security Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess the security risks associated with freight and intercity passenger rail transportation and develop prioritized recommendations for: (1) improving the security of rail infrastructure and other areas identified as posing significant rail-related risks to public safety and the movement of interstate commerce; (2) deploying chemical and biological weapon detection equipment; (3) training employees in terrorism response activities; and (4) identifying immediate and long-term economic impact of measures that may be required to address those risks. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to review existing Department of Transportation (DOT) rail regulations to identify areas in which those regulations need to be revised to improve rail safety and security. Directs the Comptroller General to carry out a study of the rail passenger transportation security programs in Japan, member nations of the European Union, and other foreign countries in order to identify effective rail transportation security measures in use in those foreign rail transportation systems, including innovative measures and screening procedures determined effective. Directs the Secretary to: (1) study the cost and feasibility of requiring security screening for all passengers, baggage, mail, express, and other cargo on Amtrak trains; and (2) conduct a pilot program of random security screening of passengers and baggage at a specified number of the busiest passenger rail stations served by Amtrak. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2005 for Amtrak for certain life safety and infrastructure upgrades at specified tunnels.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2004
Stop Terrorist and Military Hoaxes Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criminal penalties for knowingly engaging in conduct with intent to convey false or misleading information about an activity that would constitute a violation of various prohibitions under the Federal criminal code, the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, or other specified law relating to terrorism, including prohibitions regarding biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons, destruction of gas pipeline facilities, aircraft, or vessels, and aircraft piracy. Makes individuals engaging in such conduct liable in a civil action to any party incurring expenses incident to any emergency or investigative response. Establishes criminal penalties for making a false statement, without lawful authority, with intent to convey false or misleading information about the death, injury, capture, or disappearance of a member of the U.S. armed forces during a war or armed conflict in which the United States is engaged. Provides for enhanced penalties for obstruction of justice and false statements offenses that relate to international or domestic terrorism. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend the sentencing guidelines to provide for an increased offense level for any such offenses that involve a matter relating to international or domestic terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2004
Declares that the Senate: (1) expresses the outrage and shock of the people of the United States over the terrorist attacks that occurred in and around Madrid, Spain on March 11, 2004; (2) joins with President Bush in expressing its deepest condolences and pledges to remain shoulder to shoulder with the people of Spain in the war on terrorism; (3) expresses its strong solidarity with the people of Spain during their difficult hour, and its deep condolences to the families of the victims of these despicable terrorist attacks; (4) calls on all nations to join with the United States in condemning the monstrous attacks on the innocent people of Spain and in attempting to identify the perpetrators of the attacks and bring them to account; (5) expresses its readiness to consult with representatives of King Juan Carlos, President Jose Maria Aznar, the Spanish government, the Spanish Cortes, and other public authorities about joint efforts to combat terrorism more effectively; (6) commends the United States Embassy in Madrid for its prompt offers of assistance to the Government of Spain, and for its efforts to determine the welfare and whereabouts of United States citizens who may have been affected by the terrorist attacks; and (7) urges the executive branch to continue to provide all possible assistance to Spain in order to identify and bring to account the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks that occurred on March 11, 2004, in Madrid and of other terrorist attacks against the people of Spain.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2004
Cooperative Research and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) Act of 2004 - Amends Federal patent law to provide that patentability is not precluded on the basis of obviousness where subject matter which qualifies as prior art is developed by a person different from the person claiming the invention if: (1) the claimed invention was made by or on behalf of parties to a joint research agreement that was in effect on or before the date the claimed invention was made; (2) the claimed invention was made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of the agreement; and (3) the application for patent for the claimed invention discloses or is amended to disclose the names of the parties to the agreement. Defines "joint research agreement" to mean a written contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into by two or more persons or entities for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work in the field of the claimed invention.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2004
States that the Senate designates April 2004 as Financial Literacy Month to raise public awareness about the importance of financial education in the United States and the serious consequences that may be associated with a lack of understanding about personal finances.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2004
Places at 512,400 the authorized end strength for active-duty Army personnel as of September 30, 2005.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2004
States that the Senate: (1) condemns the detention of Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly by the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and calls for his immediate and unconditional release; (2) condemns the violations of freedom of speech, religion, movement, association, and the lack of due process afforded to individuals in Vietnam; and (3) urges the Government of Vietnam to consider the implications of its actions for the broader relationship with the United States, including the United States-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States should: (1) make the immediate release of Father Ly a top concern; (2) reiterate its deep concern regarding the violation of Father Ly's and other prisoners' human rights; and (3) make it clear to the Government of Vietnam that the religious or political detention and human rights violations of Father Ly and other persons create obstacles to improved bilateral relations with the United States.