United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2010
National Endowment for the Oceans Act - Establishes in the Treasury the National Endowment for the Oceans which shall fund grants (in conjunction with state matching grants) for programs to restore, maintain, or understand living marine resources and their habitats, and ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources, including baseline scientific research, ocean observing, and other programs in coordination with federal and state departments or agencies. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make grants for such purposes. States that programs funded in Great Lakes states shall also seek to attain the goals embodied in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Plan, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, or other collaborative planning efforts of the Great Lakes Region. Directs the Secretary to make grants to: (1) coastal states or affected Indian tribes; and (2) regional planning bodies to create and implement regional strategic plans. Directs the Secretary to establish a National Endowment for the Oceans Council.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2010
Amends Solid Waste Disposal Act provisions concerning federal procurement of recycled materials to provide that for a product containing at least 25% recovered material, a price of not more than 110% of the bid price of the highest ranked competing product containing zero or de minimis recovered materials shall not be considered to be unreasonable.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2010
Housing Assistance Council Program Reauthorization Act of 2010 - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide financial assistance to the Housing Assistance Council to develop the ability and 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 the business and administrative capabilities of such organizations; and (2) loans, grants, or other financial assistance to them to carry out community development and affordable housing activities for low- and moderate-income families.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2010
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income payments under the federal veterinary medicine loan repayment program or any other state loan repayment or forgiveness program that is intended to provide for increased access to veterinary services in such state.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2010
Recognizes the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Pledges to continue to work on a bipartisan basis to identify and address the remaining barriers that undermine the nation's goals of equality of opportunity, independent living, economic self-sufficiency, and full participation for Americans with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2010
Spectrum Measurement and Policy Reform Act - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to conduct a study of occupancy on the electromagnetic spectrum (between, at least, 100 megahertz and 10 gigahertz) based on the extent of the use of such spectrum, including the amount and percentage of spectrum used in the band and the duration and percentage of time such spectrum is in use. Directs the FCC and the Administration to determine appropriate benchmarks for assessing: (1) the utilization of each electromagnetic spectrum band; and (2) the availability of services operating in other bands capable of offering substitutable services. Directs the FCC and the Administration to identify specified close proximity electromagnetic spectrum most feasible for: (1) spectrum sharing opportunities for commercial and government users; (2) spectrum reuse opportunities for commercial and government users; (3) temporary or dynamic short-term assignment and use; and (4) spectrum layering opportunities for commercial and government users. Directs the FCC and the Administration to: (1) implement pilot programs to promote spectrum sharing and reuse activities for such identified spectrum bands; (2) perform a cost-benefit analysis on electromagnetic spectrum relocation opportunities to move certain federal users and services currently operating in a specific band of the spectrum to more efficient spectrum bands; and (3) establish the Spectrum Advisory Committee. Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) withhold or refuse to assign frequencies for mobile radio service or other radio service; (2) assess from each federal user an annual fee for the assigned spectrum that is based on the spectrum's fair market commercial value; and (3) develop an auction revenue sharing plan where, in exchange for relinquishing spectrum usage rights, certain federal users currently operating in an assigned spectrum band would receive as an auction incentive award a percentage of the auction revenue from any resulting auction. Amends the the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) provide that, if consistent with the public interest for a licensee to relinquish some or all of its spectrum usage rights in order to permit the assignment of new initial licenses or the allocation of spectrum for unlicensed use, the proceeds from the use of a competitive bidding system may be shared with any licensee who agreed to relinquish such usage rights; and (2) authorize the FCC to assess from each spectrum licensee an annual fee based on the fair market commercial value of that spectrum and the public interest of the service the spectrum is being used for. Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to provide for the reversion of unused Spectrum Relocation Fund amounts to the Treasury after 20 years (current law provides for reversion after 8 years).
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2010
Appropriates funds for the business loans program of the Small Business Administration (SBA), to be used for small business loan fee reductions and eliminations and small business loan guarantees authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Amends ARRA to extend through 2010 the above fee reduction and loan guarantee programs. Appropriates funds to cover such extensions. Rescinds specified funds under ARRA to offset increases resulting from appropriations under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2010
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay to a state veterans home the cost of nursing home care provided to a covered veteran that is in excess of the amount paid for such care under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) and title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act. Defines a covered veteran as one: (1) in need of nursing home care for a service-connected disability; or (2) with a service-connected disability rated at 70% or more and in need of such care. Replaces provisions providing for payment of nursing home care at the lesser of the prevailing rate or the cost of daily care with provisions providing for payment at the applicable or prevailing rate in the area in which the state home is located. Directs the Secretary to reimburse a state home for any Medicare copayment required of a covered veteran. Permits a state home, in lieu of receiving payment under the above provisions, to elect to receive payment to furnish nursing home care to a veteran through a specified agreement entered into by the Secretary and the state home.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2010
Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal a provision (added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) that extends to corporations that are not tax-exempt the requirement to report payments of $600 or more.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2010
United States Marshals Service 225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, in commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Marshals Service, to mint and issue $5 gold and $1 silver coins emblematic of the 225 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of the U.S. Marshals Service. Requires all such coin sales to include a surcharge of: (1) $35 per $5 coin; and (2) $10 per $1 coin. Requires distribution of the first $5 million to the Director of the United States Marshals Service National Museum, for the preservation, maintenance, and display of artifacts and documents of the U.S. Marshals Service. Requires distribution of: (1) $1 million to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; (2) $1 million to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in support of the National Law Enforcement Museum and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; (3) $1 million to the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association; (4) $500,000 to the William "Bill" Degan Scholarship Fund (provides scholarships for spouses and children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty); (5) $500,000 to the Robert D. May Scholarship Fund (provides scholarships for spouses and children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty); (6) $500,000 to the Community Oriented Policing Service; and (7) $500,000 to the Retired United States Marshals Service Association. Authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the $5 gold coins.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2010
Urges the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Central Asian countries to commit to regulating the sale, transport, and use of ammonium nitrate in the region. Calls on the Secretary of State to: (1) address with the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Central Asian countries the proliferation and transportation of ammonium nitrate and other improvised explosive device (IED) precursors in the region; and (2) work with the World Customs Organization and other international bodies on initiatives to improve global controls on IED components. Urges the Secretary to work with the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Central Asian countries to support improvements in infrastructure and procedures at border crossings to prevent the flow of ammonium nitrate and other IED precursors or components into the region.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2010
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Robert C. Byrd, late a Senator from West Virginia. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on June 28, 2010, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2010
Coastal Jobs Creation Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to implement a Coastal Jobs Creation Grant Program which shall include research and programs regarding: (1) recreational and commercial fisheries management: (2) essential fish habitats; (3) fishery and marine mammal stock assessments; (4) training and deployment of observers under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; (5) conservation of ocean and coastal resources; (6) waterfront and port redevelopment; (7) coral reef ecosystem conservation; (8) improvement of coastal and ocean observation technologies; (9) bycatch reduction; and (10) preventing the occurrence and adverse impacts of marine debris on the marine environment and navigation safety.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2010
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program Reauthorization Act of 2010 - Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to bar the Secretary of Commerce, for FY2011-FY2013, from: (1) providing to a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Center more than half of the costs incurred by it; and (2) requiring that a Center's cost share exceed half of such costs. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on cost share requirements under the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (the Program). Directs the Secretary, if a state provides financial support to a Center which exceeds 25% of the capital and annual operating and maintenance funds required to create and maintain such Center, to provide that Center, under the State Incentive Program established by this Act, assistance that is in addition to the assistance otherwise provided to it under the Program. Authorizes appropriations for FY2011-FY2015 to carry out: (1) the Program, including the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Advisory Board; (2) the Competitive Grant Program; and (3) the State Incentive Program.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2010
Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to prohibit the Secretary of Commerce, for each of FY2011-FY2013, from: (1) providing a participant in the Hollings Manufacturing Partnership Program with more than 50% of the costs incurred by the participant under the Program; and (2) requiring a participant's cost share to exceed 50%. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on such cost share requirements, including: (1) an analysis of various cost share structures; and (2) a recommendation for structuring the cost share requirement after FY2013 to best provide for the Program's long-term sustainability.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2010
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the 15-year recovery period classification for qualified leasehold improvement, restaurant, and retail improvement property, for purposes of the depreciation tax deduction.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2010
Designates June 23, 2010, as Olympic Day and expresses support for its goals and ideals. Promotes fitness and well-being and the Olympic ideals of fair play, perseverance, respect, and sportsmanship.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2010
Motor Carrier Protection Act of 2010 - Requires each freight forwarder or freight broker registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to: (1) pay an annual registration renewal fee in an amount determined by the Secretary of Transportation (DOT); (2) provide updated registration information; and (3) submit proof of compliance with applicable surety and insurance requirements. Requires noncompliant brokers, freight forwarders, or motor carriers to be listed as inactive on all relevant DOT websites. Requires the FMCSA Administrator to issue a distinctive registration number for each activity or service of a person (including motor carrier, freight forwarder, or broker) registered to provide one or more such activities or services. Requires a registrant to specify, in writing, the authority under which it is providing required services for each shipment for which it seeks compensation. Revises federal motor carrier registration requirements to prohibit a motor carrier from brokering transportation services unless registered as a broker. Requires registered motor carriers to maintain insurance for property damage when transporting property. Revises and consolidates federal registration and security requirements for freight forwarders and brokers. Prohibits a person from acting as a freight forwarder or broker unless that person: (1) holds a freight forwarder's permit or broker's license issued by the FMCSA; and (2) furnishes a bond or other surety from a provider determined by the FMCSA Administrator to be adequate to insure financial responsibility of at least $100,000. Prohibits a person acting as a broker (other than a non-vessel-operating common carrier), or an ocean freight forwarder providing brokerage as part of an international through movement involving ocean transportation between the United States and a foreign port, from providing interstate brokerage services unless that person: (1) is registered under and in compliance with this Act; and (2) has satisfied financial security requirements. Prescribes civil penalties for violators of such requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2010
Designates the week of June 14-June 18, 2010, as National Health Information Technology Week. Recognizes the value of information technology and management systems in transforming health care for the people of the United States. Calls on all interested parties to promote the use of information technology and management systems to transform the U.S. health care system.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2010
Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act of 2010 - Amends the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2006 to require the Director of National Drug Control Policy to develop, submit to specified congressional committees, and make publicly available a Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy. Requires such Strategy to: (1) set forth the strategy for preventing the illegal trafficking of drugs across the U.S.-Canadian border; (2) state the specific roles and responsibilities of the relevant National Drug Control Program agencies for implementing such Strategy; (3) identify the specific resources required to implement such Strategy; (4) reflect the unique nature of small communities along the border; and (5) include a strategy to end the illegal trafficking of drugs through Indian reservations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 - Revises provisions concerning the post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance program to, among other things: (1) revise definitions concerning eligibility, and include certain National Guard service as service qualifying for such assistance; (2) revise assistance amounts (including monthly stipends), and types of approved programs of education; (3) allow the pursuit of educational programs at institutions other than institutions of higher learning, including on-job training and apprenticeships, flight training, and correspondence courses; (4) provide an assistance amount for programs of education pursued while on active duty; (5) repeal the limit on the use of such assistance for the payment of only one licensing or certification test; (6) allow an individual entitled to supplemental educational assistance to transfer such entitlement to the post-9/11 program; (7) provide for the transfer of unused educational benefits to family members in the case of individuals who are no longer members of the Armed Forces; (8) bar the duplication of benefits under other educational assistance programs; (9) include distance learning as an approved program of education; (10) increase the amount of the reporting fee paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to an educational institution for providing information concerning an individual's enrollment in a program of education; and (11) repeal the authority to make certain interval payments. Provides an alternate subsistence allowance amount for veterans entitled to such allowance due to service-connected disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Small Business Training in Federal Contracting Certification Act of 2010 - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to direct the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy to establish a training certification program for federal contracting officers regarding small business government contracting set-aside programs, including: (1) programs for HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small businesses and small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans or women; (2) programs for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses; and (3) contracting under the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 - Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish: (1) the Home Star Retrofit Rebate Program to provide rebates to contractors to be passed through as discounts to homeowners who retrofit their homes to achieve energy savings; (2) a Federal Rebate Processing System to enable rebate aggregators to submit claims for reimbursement; and (3) a national retrofit website and public information campaign that provide information on the Program. Requires the Secretary to ensure that rebates are available to homeowners within 90 days of this Act's enactment. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop a network of rebate aggregators that can facilitate the delivery of rebates to reimburse participating contractors and vendors; and (2) develop guidelines for states to allow utilities participating as rebate aggregators to count the energy savings from their participation toward state-level energy saving targets. Sets forth eligibility criteria for rebate aggregators. Establishes: (1) a Silver Star Home Energy Retrofit Program to award rebates during the first year after this Act's enactment for the energy retrofit of a home for the installation of specified energy saving measures, including air-sealing and insulation measures, duct seal or replacement, window, door, skylight, or roof replacement, heating or cooling system replacement, water heater replacement, water temperature controllers, and window film installation; and (2) a Gold Star Home Energy Retrofit Program to award rebates for retrofits that achieve whole home energy savings. Authorizes Silver Star and Gold Star rebates to be provided for the same home under specified circumstances. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) the amount of the rebates (up to $3,000 per home for Silver Star rebates or $8,000 per home for Gold Star rebates); and (2) the treatment of rebates for tax purposes (excluded from taxable income). Requires a state that receives funding under this Act to submit to the Secretary a plan to implement a quality assurance program that covers all federally assisted residential efficiency retrofit work administered, supervised, or sponsored by the state. Requires the Secretary to establish a Home Star Energy Efficiency Loan Program to make funds available to states to support financial assistance provided by qualified financing entities for making, to existing homes, energy efficiency improvements that qualify under the Silver Star or Gold Star programs. Terminates such program two years after this Act's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Designates June 27, 2010, as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day. Urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to continue working to educate servicemembers, veterans, their families, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2010
Small Business Tax Equalization and Compliance Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the tax credit for social security taxes paid for employee cash tips to employers of cosmetologists. Requires employers of cosmetologists to report income and tips of their cosmetologist employees and to provide income and tip information to self-employed cosmetologists to whom they pay more than $600 in the taxable year. Imposes similar reporting requirements upon individuals who rent chairs to cosmetologists. Requires such employers to provide their cosmetologist employees and self-employed cosmetologists with information on the tax and tip reporting obligations of employees and self-employed individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2010
Honors the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses during National Small Business Week beginning May 23, 2010. Applauds the efforts and achievements of small business owners and their employees. Recognizes the work of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its resource partners in providing assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Recognizes the importance of ensuring that: (1) applicable procurement goals for small businesses are reached by all federal agencies; (2) guaranteed loans and microloans are made available to all qualified small businesses; (3) necessary federal resources are provided to management assistance programs delivered by SBA resource partners; (4) SBA small business disaster assistance is provided in a timely and efficient manner; (5) federal tax policy spurs small business growth, creates jobs, and increases competitiveness; (6) the federal government reduces the regulatory compliance burden on small businesses; (7) advanced technology policy facilitates access to affordable broadband Internet service to foster rural small business growth; and (8) systems of intellectual property protection continue to foster small business innovation.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2010
Addressing Cost Containment Measures To Ensure the Sustainability and Success of ADAP Act or the ACCESS ADAP Act - Transfers funds from discretionary amounts appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that remain unobligated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be used in FY2010 to provide assistance in reducing AIDS Drug Assistance Program waiting lists and to address other cost containment measures that state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs implement after January 1, 2009. Requires amounts transferred under this Act to be used by states in a manner consistent with their state programs. Requires the Secretary, in allocating such funds, to: (1) give special consideration to the total scope and the basis of a state's needs, including the total number of patients on a waiting list, eligibility requirements, and other cost containment measures; and (2) ensure that funds be used only to provide treatments to individuals who were eligible to participate in the state program on the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2010
Fairness in Women-Owned Small Business Contracting Act of 2010 - Amends the Small Business Act with respect to the procurement program for women-owned small businesses (providing a federal procurement contracting preference to such businesses) to: (1) remove the requirement that the woman or women owning such business be economically disadvantaged; (2) remove contract award price limits; and (3) allow a contracting officer to award a sole source contract to such a business under the same conditions as such a contract may be awarded to a qualified HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small business. Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to: (1) periodically conduct a study to identify any U.S. industry in which women are underrepresented; and (2) every five years, report study results to the congressional small business committees.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2010
Strengthening Entrepreneurship for America's Veterans Act of 2010 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish an online mechanism to assist, and coordinate and leverage the work of, veterans' assistance providers. Requires the SBA Administrator to establish a veterans' business center program to provide financial assistance to private nonprofit organizations to conduct five-year projects for the benefit of small businesses owned and controlled by veterans. Directs each organization receiving such assistance to establish a veterans' business center to provide specific assistance to veterans, service-disabled veterans, and reservists, as well as their spouses. Sets assistance limits at not less than $150,000 or more than $200,000 per organization per fiscal year. Provides matching funds requirements. Requires the Associate Administrator to conduct an annual examination of the programs and finances of each center, and authorizes the Associate Administrator to discontinue a center's funding under appropriate circumstances. Requires the Administrator to designate at least one individual in each SBA district as a veterans business ownership representative. Directs the Comptroller General to report to: (1) the congressional veterans and small business committees regarding the ability of small businesses owned and controlled by veterans to access credit; and (2) Congress an evaluation of the effectiveness of the veterans' business center program. Requires the Administrator to report to Congress at least semiannually on appointments made to, and activities of, an interagency task force established for small businesses owned and controlled by veterans and service-disabled veterans. Repeals current grant provisions providing for the establishment and implementation of outreach programs for veterans, disabled veterans, and reservists and permits any organization previously awarded such a grant to apply for a grant renewal under the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2010
Designates June 1, 2010, as Declaration of Conscience Day. Recognizes the 60th anniversary of the landmark "Declaration of Conscience" speech delivered by Senator Margaret Chase Smith. Pays tribute to the Senator's integrity and courage.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2010
Recognizes National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system. Encourages Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system. Supports the designation of a National Foster Care Month.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2010
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Women's Health Week 2010, which begins on May 9, 2010. Recognizes the importance of: (1) preventing diseases that commonly affect women; and (2) federally funded programs that provide research and collect data on common diseases in women. Calls on women to observe National Women's Check-Up Day by receiving preventive screenings.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2010
Veterans' Disability Compensation Automatic COLA Act - Requires that, whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall increase by the same percentage the amounts payable as veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2010
Extends until December 18, 2013, provisions prohibiting the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or a state with an approved National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), from requiring an NPDES permit for a covered vessel (a vessel that is less than 79 feet in length or a fishing vessel) for any discharge: (1) of effluent from properly functioning marine engines; (2) of laundry, shower, and galley sink wastes; or (3) that is incidental to the normal operation of a covered vessel.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2010
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week; and (2) the nurse capacity initiatives for institutions of higher education included in the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Acknowledges the importance of quality higher education in nursing, including baccalaureate and graduate programs, to meet the needs of one of the fastest growing labor fields in the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2010
Earmark Transparency Act - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the Clerk of the House of Representatives, in coordination with the Secretary of the Senate, to insure the existence of a single free public searchable website that specifies certain identifying information relating to each request by Members of Congress for congressionally directed spending items (congressional earmarks). Requires a request for a congressional earmark from a Member of Congress to be made available on the website within five days of its receipt by a congressional committee.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2010
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the rate of the excise tax on beer produced within or imported into the United States for brewers who produce not more than 6 million barrels of beer a year.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2010
No Child Left Behind Flexibility and Improvements Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to revise requirements relating to annual yearly progress (AYP) of students and schools, statewide and local accountability systems, special education, limited English proficiency students, funding levels and academic assessment deferrals, highly qualified teachers, and reading activities. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to modify an AYP timeline. Allows states to use: (1) additional types of statewide models and systems for measuring all students' progress; and (2) alternative assessments, designated by their individualized education program plan teams, for students with disabilities. Gives states an option to include as limited English proficiency students, until they complete secondary school, those formerly in such subgroup who have subsequently acquired English proficiency. Permits use of local assessments in measuring AYP. Increases the levels of ESEA funding which must be reached before states are not allowed certain deferrals of academic assessments. Revises requirements relating to AYP by group and subgroup. Adds options for deeming teachers of multiple academic subjects as highly qualified, and for general social studies certification. Reauthorizes the Reading First and Early Reading First programs through FY2015. Authorizes use of reading activities subgrants for individual or small-group instruction, as well as for class-wide instruction.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2010
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to establish within NHTSA: (1) a Center for Vehicle Electronics, Vehicle Software, and Emerging Technologies to build, integrate, and aggregate NHTSA's expertise in vehicle electronics and other new and emerging technologies; and (2) an honors recruitment program for engineering students, computer science students, and other students interested in vehicle safety to train with engineers and other safety officials for careers in vehicle safety. Requires the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking to prescribe a federal motor vehicle safety standard to: (1) prevent unintended acceleration in passenger motor vehicles (excluding motorcycles or trailers) through a brake override system; (2) prevent potential obstruction of pedal movement by establishing minimum clearances for passenger motor vehicle foot pedals; (3) require electronic systems in passenger motor vehicles to meet minimum performance standards; (4) establish standards for the operation of passenger motor vehicles with keyless or push-button ignition systems, particularly in bringing a vehicle under control during an emergency situation; and (5) require an intuitive configuration and labeling of gear shifting controls for drivers. Directs the Secretary to require all passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with an event data recorder (EDR) that meets certain federal motor vehicle safety standards. Increases civil penalties for persons who violate federal motor vehicle safety requirements. Requires the Secretary to notify manufacturers of motor vehicles or related equipment whose noncompliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards or defect presents an imminent hazard to public safety that may result in death or serious bodily harm. Authorizes the Secretary, in such instances, to issue an imminent hazard order to the manufacturer, dealer, and distributor to: (1) stop further production, sale, lease, distribution, or importation into the United States of the item; and (2) notify purchasers of the imminent safety hazard. Requires the Secretary to issue regulations to require public disclosure of possible defects of motor vehicles or related equipment reported to the Secretary by motor vehicle manufacturers (Early Warning data). Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve public accessibility to information on the NHTSA vehicle safety databases; (2) issue regulations to require passenger motor vehicle manufacturers to affix, in a readily accessible location, a device that provides information on how to submit a safety-related motor vehicle defect complaint to NHTSA; and (3) establish a NHTSA passenger vehicle safety defect hotline for manufacturer, dealer, and mechanic personnel. Requires certain motor vehicle manufacturer communications to include all notices to dealerships of software upgrades and recommended vehicle modifications. Establishes whistleblower protections for motor vehicle manufacturer, part supplier, and dealership employees. Directs the Secretary to require the principal executive officer of a corporation to be responsible for requests for information in NHTSA safety or compliance investigations. Prescribes both civil and criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully submitting false, misleading, or incomplete information. Prohibits a motor vehicle manufacturer or other person who is subject to federal motor vehicle safety regulation from employing NHTSA employees for the 36-month period following the employee's termination of employment with NHTSA. Prescribes civil penalties for violations of such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2010
Designates April 2010 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Encourages all people in the United States to consider the danger to others on the road and avoid distracted driving.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2010
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act - Reauthorizes the Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004 for FY2011-FY2015. Directs the Secretary of State to act through the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs in awarding grants or entering agreements with Special Olympics for activities outside the United States. Includes community-based prevention among the activities for which the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award grants or enter into agreements with Special Olympics. Requires grant or agreement applications to include a description of specific measurable annual benchmarks, as well as long-term goals and objectives, to be achieved through specified activities, which must include: (1) activities to increase the full participation of people with intellectual disabilities in inclusive school and community activities with nondisabled people; (2) education programs that dispel negative stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities; and (3) activities to increase the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in Special Olympics outside of the United States. Requires annual reports by Special Olympics to describe demographic data about Special Olympics participants. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements to promote the expansion of Best Buddies, including activities to increase the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in social relationships and other aspects of community life, including education and employment, within the United States. Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education to establish Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institutes for Sport and Social Impact. Requires recipients to use grant funds to advance the quality of life and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities through research and evaluation, technical assistance, training, data collection, evaluation, collaboration, and dissemination of evidence-based best practices.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2010
Custom Fabricated Prosthetic Breast Act of 2010 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend coverage to custom fabricated breast prostheses after a mastectomy.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2010
Designates April 23, 2010, as National Adopt A Library Day. Honors organizations that help facilitate donations to schools and libraries. Urges all people in the United States who own unused books to donate them to local libraries.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2010
Directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to arrange for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor collectively the World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in recognition of their military service and exemplary record during World War II. Requires the Medal's display at the Smithsonian Institution. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Medal should be made available for display elsewhere, particularly at locations associated with the CAP. Permits the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2010
Veteran Employment Assistance Act of 2010 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a program, headed by a Director, which designates veterans business centers to provide entrepreneurial training and counseling to veterans in areas in which the number of veterans, especially veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, exceed the national median. Requires the Director to establish a program of grants to veterans business centers to: (1) provide federal procurement assistance to small businesses owned and controlled by veterans; and (2) develop outreach programs to create or further develop service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Authorizes the Director to hold biennial veterans entrepreneurial development summits. Decreases from three years to one year the period for completion of training of new disabled veterans' outreach program specialists and local veterans' employment representatives. Directs the Secretary of Labor to provide a training subsistence allowance for each month that an unemployed veteran is enrolled in a full-time employment and training program that is offered by an eligible training provider and teaches a skill connected to a career in an in-demand industry. Provides for the use of veterans' post-9/11 educational assistance for the pursuit of apprenticeships and on-job training. Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish: (1) a program to award grants to states to establish veterans conservation corps to give veterans volunteer and employment opportunities under state conservation projects; and (2) a center of excellence of methods for educational institutions to afford academic credit to veterans for previous military experience and training. Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Labor to establish: (1) information technology military pathways demonstration programs to enable veterans to build upon technical skills learned in the military when entering into the civilian information technology workforce; and (2) nursing, public health and allied health professional, and physician assistant military pathways demonstration programs to enable veterans to build upon military technical skills when entering into civilian positions in those fields. Requires the Secretary of Labor to carry out a veterans energy-related employment program to encourage the employment of veterans in the energy industry. Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to carry out the Veterans to Work pilot program to provide veterans with employment in military construction projects. Requires: (1) a report on improvements and enhancements of the Transition Assistance Program to better meet the needs of members of the Armed Forces and veterans; and (2) a study on a program of transition assistance modeled on the Employment Enhancement Program of the Washington National Guard.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2010
Prosthetics and Custom Orthotics Parity Act of 2010 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to require a group health plan that provides medical and surgical benefits and also provides benefits for prosthetics and custom orthotics to offer such prosthetics and custom orthotics in the same manner as applicable to medical and surgical benefits. Prohibits separate financial requirements or more restrictive treatment limitations. Requires a health plan that does not provide coverage for benefits outside of a network to ensure that such provider network is adequate to ensure enrollee access to prosthetic and custom orthotic devices and related services provided by appropriately credentialed practitioners and accredited suppliers. Limits coverage for required benefits for prosthetics and custom orthotics to the most appropriate device or component that adequately meets the medical requirements of the patient. Requires benefits to include repair and replacement due to normal wear and tear, irreparable damage, a change in the condition of the patient, or as otherwise determined appropriate by the treating physician. Prohibits any annual or lifetime dollar limitation on benefits for prosthetics and custom orthotics unless such limitation applies in the aggregate to all benefits. Directs the Comptroller General to study the effects of the implementation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2010
Program for Offshore Wind Energy Research and Development Act of 2010 or the POWERED Act of 2010 - Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to initiate the development of a comprehensive roadmap to assist and coordinate offshore wind power implementation efforts. Defines "offshore wind power" to mean the generation of electricity from the deployment of wind turbines in the Great Lakes and other inland navigable waters or in U.S. coastal waters, including the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone, and the outer continental shelf. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish the Offshore Wind Power Research and Development Program to assist and coordinate offshore wind power analysis and implementation efforts consistent with the roadmap; (2) award grants to academic institutions or industry-academic consortia to establish two or more national offshore wind centers on a competitive basis with an emphasis on technical merit; (3) ensure, in selecting academic institutions or industry-academic consortia, that at least one center focuses on transitional depth and deepwater floating offshore wind energy technologies and at least one center focuses on shallow water offshore wind energy technologies; (4) award grants to states, academic institutions, and industry-academic consortia to conduct coordinated, cohesive offshore wind power analysis, research, and development projects; and (5) request grant proposals for Program projects for implementing specified activities, plans, analysis, studies, and research related to developing offshore wind power. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as it would be amended by the American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 as reported to the Senate as an original measure on July 16, 2009 (S.1462), to revise the federal renewable energy credit trading program by allowing triple credits for the generation of energy from offshore wind power.
![Official portrait of Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000663_200.jpg)