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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 · 14 June 2007
Approves the renewal of certain import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2007
Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act - Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Secretaries) to jointly develop a comprehensive policy on the care and management of members of the Armed Forces (members) who are undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness. Provides enhanced availability of medical care and related benefits for members and former members recovering from serious injuries or illnesses. Requires the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to submit plans for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities to prevent, diagnose, and treat traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder in members. Directs the Secretary to establish a Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of:: (1) Traumatic Brain Injury; and (2) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Requires the Secretaries to develop and implement a joint electronic health record for use by DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Directs the Secretary to establish a Physical Disability Board of Review to review findings of physical evaluation boards of members separated from the Armed Forces with disability ratings of 20% or less and found to be not eligible for retirement. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out pilot programs for a revised disability evaluation system for members. Requires reports on the implementation of corrective measures in response to deficiencies: (1) in the Army physical disability evaluation system; and (2) at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish standards for military medical treatment facilities, specialty care medical facilities, and military quarters housing patients; and (2) develop and maintain a handbook for members concerning compensation and benefits for serious injuries and illnesses.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2007
Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) report biannually to Congress on international monetary policy and currency exchange rates; and (2) appear, if requested, before certain congressional committees to testify regarding such reports. Prescribes report contents, including: (1) an analysis of currency market developments and the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the currencies of major economies and trading partners of the United States; (2) a review of the economic and monetary policies of major economies and trading partners of the United States and an evaluation of how such policies impact currency exchange rates; and (3) a list of currencies designated as fundamentally misaligned currencies. Instructs the Secretary to: (1) analyze semiannually the prevailing real exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies; and (2) identify foreign currency that is in fundamental misalignment and designate it for priority action if the issuing country engages in specified behavior, including excessive reserve accumulation. Prescribes procedures for: (1) negotiations and consultations; (2) failure to adopt appropriate policies; (3) international financial institution governance arrangements; (4) adjustment for fundamentally misaligned currency designated for priority action; and (5) nonmarket economy status. Establishes the Advisory Committee on International Exchange Rate Policy. Repeals the Exchange Rates and International Economic Policy Coordination Act of 1988. Amends the Internal Revenue Code relating to the special rule excluding from foreign personal holding company income any income of an eligible controlled foreign corporation which is derived in the active conduct of banking, financing, and insurance. Repeals the limitation of this exclusion to taxable years of a foreign corporation beginning after December 31, 1998, and before January 1, 2009 (thus making such limited application permanent). Repeals likewise the limited application to the same time period of the exclusion of certain exempt insurance income from the taxable insurance income of a controlled foreign corporation (thus making such exclusion permanent).
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2007
Defenders of Freedom Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to military personnel to: (1) extend the limitation period for filing tax refund claims resulting from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability determinations; (2) make permanent the taxpayer election to treat combat zone compensation as earned income for purposes of the earned income tax credit; (3) treat differential wage payments made to active duty members of the uniformed services as wages for retirement plan purposes; (4) make permanent the exemption from the 10% penalty for premature retirement plan distributions made by active duty military personnel; (5) treat state payments to members of the uniformed services as qualified military benefits for purposes of the tax exclusion of such benefits; (6) make permanent the authority of the Social Security Administration to disclose tax return information to the VA for purposes of determining eligibility for certain veterans benefit programs; (7) extend through 2010 mortgage bond financing exemption rules for certain veterans; (8) make permanent the tax exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence by certain members of the Intelligence Community; (9) allow unlimited tax-free rollovers of military death gratuities to Roth individual retirement accounts (Roth IRAs); (10) allow employers a tax credit for differential wage payments made to active duty military personnel; and (11) set forth tax rules for U.S. citizens and certain permanent residents (expatriates) who relinquish their citizenship or residency to avoid U.S taxation.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2007
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to one or more nonprofit educational organizations established to research, display, interpret, and collect artifacts relating to the history of the Underground Railroad. Requires each grant agreement to require the organization to: (1) establish a facility to house, display, and interpret the artifacts related to the history of the Underground Railroad; (2) demonstrate substantial private support for the facility through the implementation of a public-private partnership between a state or local public entity and a private entity providing certain matching funds; (3) create an endowment to fund shortfalls in the costs of ongoing facility operations; (4) establish a network of satellite centers throughout the United States to help disseminate information regarding the Underground Railroad; and (5) establish the capability to link the facility electronically with other local and regional facilities with interpretive Underground Railroad collections and programs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2007
Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop an Internet Clearinghouse within the Office of Minority Health; (2) provide for programs of excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minorities; and (3) support demonstration projects designed to improve the health and health care of racial and ethnic minority groups through improved access to health care, patient navigators, primary prevention activities, health promotion and disease prevention activities, and health literacy education and services. Provides for grants to: (1) promote positive health behaviors; (2) implement culturally and linguistically appropriate, evidence-based, and community-driven sustainable strategies to eliminate racial and ethnic health and health care disparities; (3) implement systems of primary care practices to eliminate disparities in the delivery of health care and improve the health care provided to all patients; and (4) address long-standing unmet health needs in the Mississippi Delta. Requires the Secretary to establish the Health Action Zone Initiative demonstration program to support comprehensive state, tribal, or local initiatives to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority groups. Provides for research to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority groups. Requires the Secretary to ensure the collection of data from federally conducted or supported health programs by race, ethnicity, geographic location, socioeconomic position, primary language, and, when practicable, health literacy. Sets forth duties for the Office of Minority Health. Requires the Secretary to establish the Advisory Committee on Minority Health.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2007
Tax Equity for Domestic Partner and Health Plan Beneficiaries Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the exclusion from gross income for employer-provided health care coverage to certain eligible beneficiaries and their dependent children; (2) revise the definition of "dependent" for purposes of the tax deductions for the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals and for contributions to health savings accounts; and (3) extend voluntary employees' beneficiary association sick and accident benefits to eligible beneficiaries and their dependents. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue guidance on reimbursements of medical expenses from flexible spending and health reimbursement arrangements.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2007
Declares that the Senate: (1) has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Craig Thomas, a former Senator from Wyoming; (2) mourns the loss of one of its most esteemed members; and (3) expresses its condolences to the people of Wyoming and to his wife, Susan, and his four children. Declares that when the Senate adjourns June 5, 2007, it shall stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Thomas.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Foreign Trade Zones Act to permit the transfer of distilled spirits used in a foreign trade zone for the manufacture or production of nonbeverage products (i.e., medicines, medicinal preparations, food products, flavors, flavoring extracts, or perfume, which are unfit for beverage purposes) to an activated foreign trade zone without payment of applicable excise taxes. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) require manufacturers and producers of such nonbeverage products to file an adequate bond and permit; and (2) examine records and compel testimony to enforce the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2007
Rent-To-Own Reform Act of 2007 - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prohibit a seller in a rent-to-own transaction from receiving or assessing any interest, finance charge, or other fee for the transaction that exceeds the interest, fees, or finance charges permissible under the laws of the state in which the seller is located which establish: (1) a maximum rate or amount of interest, finance charge, or time-price differential that may be charged in connection with a credit sale or retail installment sale for the same or a similar item; (2) the types of fees and the maximum amount of fees that a seller may so charge; or (3) the types of credit insurance and the maximum amount of premiums that can be charged for credit insurance in such a connection. Permits certain additional termination charges and fees. Cites federal laws which are applicable to a rent-to-own transaction. Sets forth required disclosures, prohibitions, and enforcement, as well as civil liability for failure to properly disclose the terms of a rent-to-own transaction. Declares this Act inapplicable to certain motor vehicles sales and leases otherwise subject to the Truth in Lending Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2007 - Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (the Act) to state as the mission of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to develop and coordinate the implementation of a national strategy to prevent and end homelessness while maximizing federal government contributions toward such end. Adds to the membership of such Council the Commissioner of Social Security, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Directs the Council to develop and submit to the President and Congress a National Strategic Plan to End Homelessness. Requires a collaborative applicant (a representative community homeless assistance planning body) to be established for a geographic area by its relevant parties to design a collaborative process for developing an application for homeless assistance funds. Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make technical assistance available to such applicants. Directs the Secretary to make competitive grants for specified activities in community homeless assistance programs. Converts the rural homelessness grant program into a rural housing stability assistance program. Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants to state or local governments or nonprofit organizations to implement programs to prevent homelessness and to stabilize housing for precariously housed individuals and families.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence to work in collaboration with the American Bar Association Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and other organizations to create, recruit lawyers for, and provide training, mentoring, and technical assistance for a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network. Requires the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice to designate five states in which to implement the pilot program of a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Referral Project and distribute funds under this Act. Requires the Attorney General to award grants to national domestic violence legal technical assistance providers to expand their services to provide training and ongoing technical assistance to volunteer attorneys in the National Domestic Violence Volunteer Network, statewide legal coordinators, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and Internet-based legal referral organizations. Authorizes the Attorney General to: (1) award grants to the National Domestic Violence Hotline to provide information about statewide legal coordinators and legal services; and (2) award grants to Internet-based non-profit organizations with a demonstrated expertise on domestic violence to provide state-specific information about statewide legal coordinators and legal services through the Internet. Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study and report to Congress on the scope and quality of legal representation and advocacy for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, including the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Directs the Attorney General to establish the Domestic Violence Legal Advisory Task Force.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2007 - Prohibits road construction and road reconstruction in inventoried roadless areas of the National Forest System. Specifies exceptions, including because: (1) there is threat of a catastrophic event; (2) a natural resource restoration action is necessary; or (3) a federal-aid highway project is in the public interest or is consistent with the purposes for which the land was reserved or acquired. Prohibits timber from being cut, sold, or removed in an inventoried roadless area. Permits various exceptions, including for specified environmental reasons, if the responsible official determines that the cutting, sale, or removal of timber is expected to be infrequent. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to make modifications to roadless area maps to improve their accuracy or inclusiveness. Instructs the Secretary, in order to evaluate the effect of a modification to a roadless area map, to prepare an environmental impact statement or similar analysis required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Declares that this Act does not: (1) revoke, suspend, or modify legal instruments and decisions concerning the use of NFS land made before January 12, 2001; (2) compel the amendment or revision of any land and resource management plan; or (3) apply to specified activities in the Tongass National Forest. States that the prohibitions and restrictions of this Act cannot be reconsidered, modified, or terminated under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for FY2009-FY2013 for: (1) type I diabetes research; and (2) diabetes prevention and treatment through Indian health facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Safe Tissue Act - Requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to inspect, at least once every two years, each establishment that engages in the manufacture of human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products. Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a user fee to fund such inspections. Requires the FDA to conduct periodic audits of all documentation submitted by each such establishment to determine compliance with all applicable requirements, including requirements related to ensuring: (1) that human cells, tissues, or cellular or tissue-based products are obtained legally; (2) that donor eligibility and donor medical history interviews are based on accurate information that was not provided or obtained in a fraudulent manner; and (3) current good tissue practice. Requires the Secretary to publish a model form containing minimum requirements for establishments to use in obtaining consent from a potential donor of human cells, tissues, or cellular or tissue-based products. Sets forth penalties for failing to comply with model form requirements or for knowingly using fraudulent information. Directs the Secretary to: (1) accredit establishments and the personnel of such establishments who participate in the recovery, processing, storage, labeling, packaging, or distribution of human cells, tissues, or cellular or tissue-based products; and (2) define "reasonable payments" that are associated with donation of human tissue and tissue-based products for purposes of the National Organ Transplant Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Broadband Data Improvement Act - Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to revise the definitions of advanced telecommunications capability, or broadband, establish a new definition of second generation broadband, and revise certain reporting requirements to require reporting of broadband and second generation broadband connections by zip code plus 4 location. Requires the FCC to determine certain demographic data for geographical areas that are not served by any provider of advanced telecommunications capability. Requires expansion of the American Community Survey to elicit information to determine whether persons subscribe to Internet service and, if so, by dial-up or broadband. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study to evaluate additional broadband metrics or standards that may be used to provide users with more accurate information about the cost and capability of their broadband connection and to better compare the deployment and penetration of broadband in the United States with other countries. Requires the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy to conduct a study on the impact of broadband speed and price on small businesses. Provides for grants to develop and implement statewide initiatives to identify and track the availability and adoption of broadband services within each state.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Foster Care Continuing Opportunities Act - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to give states the option for youth to elect to remain in foster care after attaining age 18 until attaining age 19, 20, or 21.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Expresses the sense of the Senate that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales no longer holds the confidence of the Senate and of the American people.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income rebates of state or local real or personal property taxes or any other benefit provided by a state or local government to volunteer firefighters, search and rescue personnel, and emergency medical responders. Exempts such rebates and benefits from employment and unemployment taxes and from withholding of tax requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2007
Secure Handling of Ammonium Nitrate Act of 2007 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to regulate the sale and transfer of ammonium nitrate. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a threshold percentage for ammonium nitrate in a substance; and (2) a process by which the owner of an ammonium nitrate facility or anyone intending to purchase ammonium nitrate must register with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Requires the facility owner to maintain records of each sale or transfer over a two-year period. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) exemptions involving use exclusively as an explosive material under a federal explosives license; (2) ensuring that agricultural producer access is not unduly burdened; and (3) restricting information disclosures. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish procedures to efficiently receive applications, conduct checks, and promptly issue or deny a registration number; (2) take steps to maximize the number of applications processed during the initial six-month period; and (3) check identifying information and deny issuance of a registration number if such information appears in DHS's terrorist screening database. Provides for expedited review of applications and appeals. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) confidentiality; (2) information sharing with law enforcement; (3) rechecking persons; (4) inspecting and auditing facility owner records; and (5) reporting theft or unexplained loss of ammonium nitrate. Prohibits: (1) taking possession of or transferring ammonium nitrate, or owning or operating a facility, without a registration number; or (2) failing to comply with this Act. Prescribes a civil penalty. Sets forth civil liability protections.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2007
Mail Delivery Protection Act of 2007 - Prohibits the U.S. Postal Service from contracting for the delivery of mail on any route with one or more families per mile. Allows existing contracts to remain in effect until terminated by their terms and to be renewed one or more times. (Chapter 52 of title 39, U.S. Code, was repealed by P.L. 109-435, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act.)
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2007
Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a plan for the prevention, control, and management of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) implement programs to increase awareness of HCV; and (2) support activities to promote the early detection of HCV infection, identify risk factors for infection, and conduct surveillance of HCV infection trends. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC and the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to: (1) conduct epidemiologic research to identify best practices for HCV prevention; (2) establish a Hepatitis C Clinic Research Network to conduct research related to the treatment and medical management of HCV; and (3) conduct basic research to identify new approaches to prevent and treat HCV. Requires the Secretary to: (1) promote state, local, and tribal programs to provide referrals for medical evaluation and management to HCV-positive individuals; and (2) develop benchmarks for evaluating the programs and activities conducted under this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states, political subdivisions of states, Indian tribes, or nonprofit entities to carry out activities under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2007
Housing Assistance Council Authorization Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide financial assistance to the Housing Assistance Council to develop the capacity of community-based housing development organizations to undertake community development and affordable housing projects and programs in rural areas. Authorizes the Council to use such assistance for rural community-based housing development organizations to acquire: (1) technical assistance, training, support, and advice to develop business and administrative capabilities; and (2) loans, grants, or other financial assistance to carry out community development and affordable housing activities for low- and moderate-income families.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2007
Railroad Crossing and Hazardous Materials Transport Safety Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a review of the safety of all highway-rail grade crossings in the United States and to submit to Congress a priority list of highway-rail grade crossings most in need of safety improvements. Directs the Secretary to: (1) maintain a national database of information on the safety of highway-rail grade crossings; (2) investigate the cause of each fatal crossing accident; and (3) prescribe regulations for improving crossing safety, maintenance, and surveillance. Establishes the position of Special Advisor for Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety in the office of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy. Requires annual safety reviews by crossing inspectors. Increases civil penalties for crossing safety requirement violations. Authorizes grants for enforcement of crossing safety laws, rail infrastructure safety improvements, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Increases civil penalties for violations of hazardous materials transportation requirements. Requires revocation of any compliance order if a railroad carrier commits a gross violation of such order that results in a hazardous materials accident. Sets inspection requirements for tank cars carrying hazardous materials. Requires a rail carrier to provide comprehensive lists of all hazardous materials scheduled to be transported through a state to a state homeland security coordinator if requested. Directs the Secretary to double the number of hazardous materials inspectors employed by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2007
Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemorative Coin Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue, during 2014, up to 350,000 one-dollar coins designed to be emblematic of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its contribution to civil rights in America. Requires sales to include a $10 surcharge per coin, which shall be paid to the United Negro College Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2007
Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act of 2007 - Extends and revises various agricultural programs, including programs respecting: (1) milk and dairy; (2) conservation security; (3) conservation reserve; (4) wetlands reserve; (5) environmental quality incentives; (6) farmland protection; (7) cooperative conservation partnership initiative; (8) wildlife habitat; (9) conservation loan guarantees; (10) market access; (11) food stamps; (12) farm and ranch profitability grants; (13) community forest and open space conservation; (14) healthy forests reserve; (15) biomass and renewable energy; (16) specialty crops, farmers' markets, and nutrition; (17) organic agriculture programs; (18) crop insurance; and (18) colony collapse disorder.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2007
Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) publish biannually in the Federal Register a list of each person, whether within or outside of the United States, that has an investment of more than $20 million in the energy sector in Iran; and (2) maintain on the website of the Department of the Treasury the names of the persons on such list. States it is the policy of the United States to support the decision of state and local governments and educational institutions to divest from, and to prohibit the investment of assets they control in, persons included on the most recent list. Authorizes a state or local government to adopt and enforce measures to divest its assets from, or prohibit investment of assets in, persons included on the most recent list. Amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to shield any registered investment company from civil, criminal, or administrative action based upon its divesting from, or avoiding investing in, securities issued by companies included on such most recent list. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to shield from treatment as breaching a fiduciary duty any person divesting plan assets from, or avoiding investing plan assets in, persons included on such most recent list. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board should: (1) initiate efforts to provide a terror-free international investment option among the funds of the Thrift Savings Fund; and (2) initiate similar efforts to provide a genocide-free international investment option.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2007
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the United States strongly supports the new power-sharing government in Northern Ireland; (2) political leaders of Northern Ireland, Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern should be commended for acting in the best interest of the people of Northern Ireland by forming this government; (3) May 8, 2007, will be remembered as an historic day and an important milestone in cementing peace and unity for Northern Ireland and an example for nations around the world plagued by internal conflict; and (4) the United States stands ready to support this new government and to work with the people of Northern Ireland as they achieve their goal of lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2007
Designates June 2007 as National Internet Safety Month. Calls on Internet safety organizations, law enforcement, educators, community leaders, parents, and volunteers to increase their efforts to raise the level of awareness for the need for online safety in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2007
Mortgage Cancellation Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income amounts attributable to the discharge of certain residential mortgage obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2007
340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the drug discount program to allow participation as a covered entity by certain children's hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural referral centers or sole community hospitals. Prohibits enrolled hospitals from obtaining covered outpatient drugs through a group purchasing arrangement. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish reasonable exceptions to such prohibition, including for drugs unavailable through the program and to facilitate generic substitution when a generic covered drug is available at a lower price. Expands the program to include a drug used in connection with an inpatient or outpatient service by enrolled hospitals. (Currently, only outpatient drugs are covered under the program.) Requires hospitals enrolled in the 340B drug discount program to provide to each state a credit on the estimated annual costs to such hospital of single source and innovator multiple source drugs and noninnovator multiple source drugs provided to Medicaid recipients for inpatient use. Sets forth a formula for calculating the credit. Allows a hospital to avoid paying such credits under certain circumstances. Requires the Secretary to: (1) carry out activities to improve compliance by manufacturers and covered entities with the requirements of the drug discount program; and (2) establish an administrative process for resolving claims by covered entities and manufacturers of violations of such requirements. Requires manufacturers to offer each covered entity covered drugs for purchase at or below the applicable ceiling price if such a drug is made available to any other purchaser at any price.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2007
ALS Registry Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) develop a system to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other motor neuron disorders that can be confused with ALS, misdiagnosed as ALS, or progress to ALS; and (2) establish a national registry for the collection and storage of such data. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to establish the Advisory Committee on the National ALS Registry to review information and make recommendations to the Secretary concerning: (1) the development and maintenance of the registry; (2) the type of information to be included; (3) the manner in which data is to be collected; (4) the use and availability of such data; and (5) the collection of information about diseases and disorders that primarily affect motor neurons that are considered essential to furthering the study and cure of ALS. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director, to award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, public or private nonprofit entities for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on ALS and other motor neuron disorders. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) identify, build upon, expand, and coordinate among existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other federal public health and environmental infrastructure wherever possible; and (2) provide for research access to ALS data as recommended by the Advisory Committee in a manner that protects personal privacy. Requires the Secretary to ensure that epidemiological and other types of information is made available to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2007
United States Attorney Local Residency Restoration Act of 2007 - Amends the federal judicial code to repeal authority of the Attorney General to assign a U.S. attorney or an assistant U.S. attorney dual or additional responsibilities that exempt such officer from the requirement that each U.S. attorney and assistant U.S. attorney reside in the district for which he or she is appointed.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2007
Acknowledges the accomplishments and contributions of AmeriCorps members, alumni, and community partners. Encourages all citizens to consider service in AmeriCorps and join in a national effort to salute AmeriCorps and raise awareness of the importance of national and community service.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2007
Law Enforcement Officers Retirement Equity Act - Redefines the term "law enforcement officer" under provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to include: (1) federal employees not otherwise covered by such term whose duties include the investigation or apprehension of suspected or convicted individuals and who are authorized to carry a firearm; and (2) such employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whose duties are primarily the collection of delinquent taxes and the securing of delinquent returns. Requires that such service which is performed by an incumbent law enforcement officer be treated: (1) on or after the enactment date of this Act, for all purposes, as service performed as a law enforcement officer, irrespective of how such service is treated under the following; and (2) before, on, or after such date, for purposes of CSRS and FERS, as service performed as such an officer, but only if an appropriate written election is submitted to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) five years after such date or before separation from government service, whichever is earlier. Provides that nothing under current law respecting mandatory separation from government service under CSRS or FERS shall cause the involuntary separation of an officer before the end of the three-year period beginning on such date.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2007
Bridging the Gap for Wounded Warriors Act - Requires a member of the Armed Forces (member) who is medically retired because of physical disability incurred in or aggravated by military service to be treated as an active-duty member, for purposes of entitlement to military health care services and benefits, for the longer of: (1) the two-year period after medical retirement; or (2) the period during which the member is on the temporary disability retirement list. Requires active-duty members receiving health care and services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for an injury or illness which would qualify for medical retirement to be treated as a veteran for the longer of: (1) the two-year period after the member incurs the injury or illness; or (2) the period during which the member is assigned to the VA for health care services and benefits. Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to establish a joint office for the Department of Defense (DOD) and VA for the coordination of assistance to members in their transition from military service to civilian life. Requires each member determined to be unfit to perform required duties to: (1) be evaluated by a disability ratings team at the appropriate military medical treatment facility; and (2) either placed on the temporary disability retired list or further evaluated for assignment of a final disability rating. Allows member appeal of a determination of unfitness. Requires final disability ratings to be used for determining eligibility for retired pay and other benefits. Requires an interim and final report from the Comptroller General to Congress on DOD and VA programs for the assessment and treatment of wounded members.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2007
Access to Medicare Imaging Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a two-year moratorium on certain Medicare physician payment reductions for imaging services. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress during such moratorium on imaging services furnished under the Medicare program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2007
Uniting American Families Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include permanent partners (as defined by this Act) within the scope of such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2007
Long-Range Sniper Rifle Safety Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code and the firearms registration provisions of the Internal Revenue Code to classify the .50 BMG caliber sniper rifle as a destructive device. Modifies the definition of "rifle" to include a weapon intended to be fired from a bipod or other support. Directs the Attorney General to implement regulations for notice and registration of .50 BMG caliber sniper rifles as destructive devices and require the registration of unregistered rifles within seven years after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2007
Worker Empowerment Act - Amends the Social Security Act to require each state to implement a reemployment adjustment assistance program that provides payment of 50% of the amount by which the wages received by an individual at the time of his or her separation from employment exceeds (if at all) the wages received by such individual from reemployment. Amends the Internal Revenue Code (relating to employment taxes) to impose a wage insurance contribution excise tax on every employer. Establishes a Wage Insurance Trust Fund in the Treasury, to which the equivalent of any such taxes received shall be appropriated to carry out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2007
Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue to exclude from gross income gain from the sale or exchange of certain multifamily housing property to a housing agency or related organization (preservation entity) that agrees to maintain certain affordability and use restrictions for such property. Limits the excludable amount of such gain to the depreciation adjustments for such property.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2007
Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2007 - Authorizes the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of Constance Baker Motley, in recognition of her enduring contributions and service to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Methamphetamine Production Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to expand electronic logbook requirements applicable to sellers and purchasers of listed chemicals (e.g., legal substances used in the production of methamphetamine). Authorizes the Attorney General to make three-year grants to state and local governments to plan, develop, implement, or enhance methamphetamine precursor electronic logbook systems. Establishes a preference for grant recipients who develop electronic logbook systems that are: (1) statewide; (2) capable of real-time capture and transmission of logbook information to law enforcement and regulatory agencies; and (3) designed to share information across jurisdictional boundaries. Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of methamphetamine precursor electronic logbook systems.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Lead Free Toys Act of 2007 - Directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to prescribe regulations classifying any children's product containing lead to be a banned hazardous substance within the meaning of the Hazardous Substances Act. Requires the Commission, if it determines that it is not feasible for certain electronic devices to comply with such regulations as of the effective date, to: (1) issue standards to reduce the exposure of and accessibility to lead in such electronic devices; and (2) establish a schedule by which such electronic devices must be in full compliance with the regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Borrower's Protection Act of 2007 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to deem a mortgage broker, in the case of a home mortgage loan, to have a fiduciary relationship with the consumer. Subjects each such mortgage broker to all federal and state requirements for fiduciaries. Requires each mortgage originator, in addition to the duties imposed by federal and state requirements, to act with respect to each home mortgage loan: (1) with reasonable skill, care, and diligence; and (2) in good faith and with fair dealing in any transaction, practice, or with associated course of business. Requires a mortgage originator, before entering into or otherwise facilitating a home mortgage loan, to verify the borrower's reasonable ability to pay the principal and interest, real estate taxes, and homeowners insurance fees and premiums. Prescribes a formula for determining ability to pay variable mortgage rates. Makes the lender liable for acts, omissions, and representations of a mortgage broker in connection with any rate spread mortgage loan the broker sells or delivers to the lender. Prohibits a mortgage originator from steering a consumer to home mortgage loan rates, charges, principal amount, or prepayment terms not reasonably advantageous to the consumer. Prescribes mortgage originator duties to consumers. Prohibits specified mortgage originator conduct, especially entering into a home mortgage loan when the originator has reason to believe that the appraiser of the property securing the loan failed to act in good faith and fair dealing in its appraisal. Prohibits a mortgage originator from: (1) seeking to influence an appraiser or otherwise to encourage a targeted value; or (2) selecting an appraiser on the expectation that the appraiser would provide a targeted value. Requires the mortgage originator to provide a copy of the appraisal report to a home mortgage loan applicant, whether credit is granted, denied, or the application was withdrawn.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to direct the Secretary of the Treasury, upon receiving notice from a state judicial agency that a named person owes a past-due, legally enforceable state judicial debt, to pay such debt from any tax refund due to such person.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Meat and Poultry Products Traceability and Safety Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to direct that amenable species presented for slaughter for human consumption, and the carcasses or parts of carcasses and the meat and food products of those animals, shipped in interstate commerce be identified in a manner that enables the Secretary of Agriculture to trace: (1) each animal or group of animals to any location at which the animal was held at any time before slaughter; and (2) each carcass or part of a carcass and food and food product forward from slaughter through processing and distribution to the ultimate consumer. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) prohibit or restrict entry to a slaughtering establishment of an animal not so identified; and (2) require that each person, firm, or corporation required to identify livestock maintain accurate records. Directs the Secretary to establish a traceability system for all stages of production, processing, and distribution of meat and meat food products and poultry and poultry food products.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Medicare Ambulance Payment Extension Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide an additional 5% increase in Medicare payments for ground ambulance services furnished on or after January 1, 2008, and before January 1, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2007
Thomas J. Manton Prostate Cancer Early Detection and Treatment Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to make grants to states to carry out: (1) prostate cancer prevention programs (including screening and referrals for treatment); and (2) demonstration projects to provide preventive health services with respect to prostate cancer (including blood pressure and cholesterol screenings). Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to allow states to provide medical assistance to individuals who have been screened for prostate cancer under this Act and who need treatment for prostate cancer. Applies provisions related to breast and cervical cancer programs to programs under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2007
Government Pension Offset Reform Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to modify the formula for determining the amount of reduced monthly OASDI benefits payable to a spouse, surviving spouse, or parent receiving monthly payments from a federal or state pension plan. Declares that such benefit reductions shall be equal to the amount by which two-thirds of the total amount of the combined monthly benefit (before reduction) and monthly pension exceeds $1,200, adjusted for inflation.