United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2004
Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to state that per diem payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the care of veterans in State homes shall not be considered a liability of a third party for any purpose under Medicaid (title XIX of the Social Security Act). (Such payments, if considered a liability, would be required to be offset from the amount of authorized Medicaid assistance.)
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2004
Declares that the Senate: (1) expresses the outrage and shock of the people of the United States over the terrorist attacks that occurred in and around Madrid, Spain on March 11, 2004; (2) joins with President Bush in expressing its deepest condolences and pledges to remain shoulder to shoulder with the people of Spain in the war on terrorism; (3) expresses its strong solidarity with the people of Spain during their difficult hour, and its deep condolences to the families of the victims of these despicable terrorist attacks; (4) calls on all nations to join with the United States in condemning the monstrous attacks on the innocent people of Spain and in attempting to identify the perpetrators of the attacks and bring them to account; (5) expresses its readiness to consult with representatives of King Juan Carlos, President Jose Maria Aznar, the Spanish government, the Spanish Cortes, and other public authorities about joint efforts to combat terrorism more effectively; (6) commends the United States Embassy in Madrid for its prompt offers of assistance to the Government of Spain, and for its efforts to determine the welfare and whereabouts of United States citizens who may have been affected by the terrorist attacks; and (7) urges the executive branch to continue to provide all possible assistance to Spain in order to identify and bring to account the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks that occurred on March 11, 2004, in Madrid and of other terrorist attacks against the people of Spain.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2004
Small Business Loan Revitalization Act - Amends the Small Business Act (the Act) to provide requirements for the making of a Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed loan to a small business within 120 days after a commercial loan is obtained by that small business. Makes such small business ineligible for the SBA loan unless the commercial loan does not exceed $2 million. Allows the commercial loan to be: (1) made by the lender providing the guaranteed financing or by a different lender; (2) secured by a senior lien; and (3) made by a lender in the Preferred Lenders Program. Requires a fee to be paid by the lender to the SBA if the commercial loan has a senior credit position to that of the guaranteed loan. Prohibits a small business from receiving combination financing (an SBA-guaranteed loan and a commercial loan) in an amount greater than $4 million. Makes current SBA-guaranteed loan fees inapplicable to loans approved from the day after enactment of this Act until September 30, 2004. Applies a loan fee with respect to loans approved during the period beginning on: (1) October 1, 2002, and ending on the date of enactment of this Act of 0.25 percent of the outstanding balance of the deferred participation share of the loan; and (2) the first day after the enactment of this Act and ending on September 30, 2004, of 0.35 percent of such outstanding balance. Directs the SBA to reconsider, before considering any other application, any application submitted on or after December 23, 2003, and before January 8, 2004, for an SBA loan guarantee that was rejected based on the loan amount requested if the applicant is otherwise eligible for financial assistance under the Act. Requires any small business that received SBA export working capital financing before January 1, 2004, and requests a financing renewal to have their request approved regardless of the size of such financing, if the small business is otherwise eligible for such financing. Directs the SBA, ten days after the enactment of this Act, to allow general small business start-up loans up to the maximum amount permitted under the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2004
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal in commemoration of the Reverend Oliver L. Brown (the lead plaintiff in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education) in recognition of his and his fellow plaintiffs' enduring contributions to civil rights and American society.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2004
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include podiatrists as physicians in order to cover their services under the Medicaid program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2004
Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Expansion Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities that: (1) develop and implement statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies in schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance abuse programs, mental health programs, foster care systems, and other child and youth support organizations; (2) collect and analyze data on statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention services to monitor the effectiveness of such services and for research, technical assistance, and policy development; and (3) assist States in achieving their targets for youth suicide reductions. Provides for preferential treatment in the award of grants for entities that engage in certain specified activities. Requires the Secretary to: (1) award technical assistance grants and cooperative agreements to State agencies to conduct assessments of the development of such intervention and prevention strategies; (2) conduct research and development on the efficacy of new and existing youth suicide early intervention techniques and technology; (3) promote the sharing of this research and development with relevant Federal and State agencies and statewide entities for the purpose of applying and integrating new techniques and technology into existing intervention systems; (4) collaborate with specified agencies, organizations, and individuals to carry out this Act; and (5) conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the activities conducted under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2004
Includes as an exception to the prohibition on the use of Department of Defense funds to perform abortions a case in which the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2004
Trade Adjustment Assistance Equity for Service Workers Act of 2004 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to extend trade adjustment assistance (TAA) to workers in a service sector firm or its subdivision or public agency. Revises group eligibility requirements for TAA to include: (1) a shift, by a public agency to a foreign country in provision of services, like or directly competitive with services which are provided by the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency; and (2) the situation where the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency obtains or is likely to obtain such services from a foreign country. Requires the Secretary of Labor to certify as eligible to apply for TAA any adversely affected secondary workers in a service sector firm or its subdivision or public agency. Specifies criteria for determination of the existence of increased imports of like or directly competitive articles or services. Increases from $220 million to $440 million the amount of fiscal year payments for training of adversely affected workers under the Act. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance for the establishment of industrywide programs for new service development. Modifies the trade monitoring system to include imports of services.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2004
Community College Teacher Preparation Enhancement Act of 2004 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a teacher training enhancement program. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to eligible entities for teacher training or preparation. Includes among eligible entities: (1) statewide boards with jurisdiction over community colleges and four-year institutions of higher education (IHEs); (2) partnerships between statewide boards with jurisdiction over community colleges and statewide boards with jurisdiction over four-year IHEs; (3) partnerships between community colleges and four-year IHEs; or (4) community colleges offering teacher preparation programs that provide all, or a significant portion of, teacher training, postbaccalaureate certification, and professional development. Gives priority to proposals for using grants for: (1) teacher preparation in geographic areas with shortages of highly qualified teachers; (2) preparing teachers in kindergarten through grade 12 subject content areas that have a shortage of highly qualified teachers; (3) innovative programs to address teacher training or teacher preparation; (4) outreach into secondary schools; or (5) plans to disseminate information. Requires grantees to use grant funds for at least one of specified mandatory uses. Sets forth permissive uses of grants.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2004
Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2003 (sic) - Amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations allowing qualifying individuals to import covered products (in addition to pharmacists and wholesalers, whom current law authorizes to import such products). Amends provisions pertaining to record keeping regarding imported covered products. States that the Secretary shall not have to store records in cases in which qualifying individuals have imported a covered product. Amends provisions regarding the testing of imported covered products. Declares that specified tests, including ones involving authenticity and degradation of products, shall not be required unless the importer is a wholesaler. Requires such tests to be conducted by the importer unless a product is a prescription drug subject to the provisions of this Act pertaining to counterfeit-resistant packaging. (Currently either the importer or the manufacturer may conduct such tests). Eliminates the sunset date current law establishes for the provisions pertaining to the importation of covered products. Classifies prescription drugs as misbranded if they do not incorporate specified counterfeit-resistant technologies in packaging.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2004
Fishery Conservation and Management Amendments Act of 2004 - Amends the Magnuson-Stevenson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to: (1) extend, through FY 2008, the authorization of appropriations under the Act; (2) provide for implementation of a treaty between the United States and Canada concerning Pacific coast albacore tuna fishing; and (3) allow, with respect to Pacific insular area fisheries and fishing agreements, monitoring programs that the Secretary of Commerce determines to monitor harvests by foreign fishing vessels. Requires fishery management plans (plans) for Federal fisheries to include harvest and processing revenues, production costs, capital expenditures, and other fishing or processing expenses. Allows any plan established by a regional fishery management council to establish a fishing quota system for achieving optimum yield, including compliance with specified quota share and allocation requirements. Requires: (1) a quota system to be approved in advance by more than two-thirds of those voting in a referendum among eligible fishing permit holders; (2) the National Research Council, every five years, to provide an independent review of the effectiveness of fishing quota systems in Federal fisheries; and (3) the Secretary to issue regulations establishing requirements for the quota system. Directs the Secretary to: (1) make a preliminary evaluation of a plan or amendment, or a regulation concerning a plan or amendment; and (2) take specified action, depending on whether evaluation results are positive or negative. Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations governing fishing after January 1, 2008, that: (1) limit fishing mortality to specified rates; and (2) allocate both fishing restrictions and recovery benefits fairly among fishery gear sectors and communities. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) conduct a fishing capacity reduction program in a fishery under the authority of the Secretary, a regional council, or a State; and (2) implement an information collection or observer program for the collection of necessary additional information under a plan. Allows plan information to be disclosed to State employees responsible for plan monitoring. Directs the Secretary to establish a national cooperative research and management program between fishing industry participants, affected States, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (Service). Requires an independent review of the Service's procedures for ensuring data quality in the data collection phase of the stock assessment program. Authorizes Federal-State cooperative marine law enforcement agreements. Requires the Scientific and Statistical Committees of each council to identify and report to the Secretary priority research needs to support ecosystem-based management of fisheries within its jurisdiction.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2004
Expresses the sense of Congress that rates of pay for civilian employees of the United States should be adjusted at the same time, and in the same proportion, as are rates of pay for the uniformed services.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2004
Medicare Enhancements for Needed Drugs Act of 2004 - Directs the Comptroller General to review and report to Congress on the retail cost of prescription drugs in the United States during 2000 and 2003 with an emphasis on the prescription drugs most utilized for individuals age 65 or older. Requires the Comptroller General, after conducting such review, to review continuously the retail cost of such drugs through April 1, 2006, to determine the changes in such costs. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct an ongoing study, for annual reports to Congress, that compares the average retail cost in the United States for each of the 20 most utilized prescription drugs for individuals age 65 or older with: (1) the average price at which private health plans acquire each such drug; (2) the average price at which the Department of Defense under the Defense Health Program acquires each such drug; (3) the average price at which the Department of Veterans Affairs under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs acquires each such drug; and (4) the average negotiated price for each such drug that eligible beneficiaries have access to under a Medicare prescription drug plan that provides only basic prescription drug coverage. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to include in the comparative plan information for beneficiaries under new Medicare part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) a comparison of average aggregate prescription drug plan beneficiary costs and savings with respect to covered part D drugs with such costs for the same drugs for a beneficiary with no prescription drug plan. Repeals the prohibition against interference by the Secretary with the negotiations between drug manufacturers and pharmacies and prescription drug plan sponsors and the requirement of a particular formulary to institute a price structure for the reimbursement of Medicare part D covered drugs. Authorizes the Secretary instead, like other Federal entities that purchase prescription drugs in bulk, to negotiate contracts with manufacturers of covered part D drugs. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to disallow a tax deduction for advertising expenditures of taxpayers who discriminate against foreign sellers of prescription drugs to domestic consumers. Amends SSA title XVIII to authorize the Secretary to provide incentive payments out of the Medicare Advantage Regional Plan Stabilization Fund to sponsors offering prescription drug plans that provide enrollees with access to negotiated prices for payment of covered Medicare part D drugs. Requires such prices to be on average not more than ten percent greater than the lesser of: (1) the average price at which the Department of Defense under the Defense Health Program acquires such drugs; or (2) the average price at which the Department of Veterans Affairs acquires such drugs. Requires the Secretary to request the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to review and report to Congress on the changes to the rules relating to Medicare supplemental policies that provide prescription drug coverage under new Medicare part D.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2004
Calls on the President and the United States Trade Representative to exercise caution in negotiating the terms that would apply to the dairy industry under the proposed United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2004
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction from gross income for home health care and adult day respite care expenses of an individual who: (1) resides with the taxpayer; (2) is a dependent of the taxpayer; and (3) suffers from Alzheimer's disease (or a related organic brain disorder) and is physically or mentally incapable of self-care.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2004
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the nonrefundable income tax credit for employment-related dependent care expenses and replace it with a refundable 50 percent income tax credit, reduced (but not below 20 percent) as the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds $15,000 (adjusted for inflation). Limits the dollar amount of such credit to $3,000 ($6,000 if two or more qualifying individuals). Includes within the scope of the new credit up to $1,200 ($2,400 if two or more qualifying individuals) of respite care expenses incurred for the taxpayer's spouse and dependents who are physically or mentally incapable of self-care.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2004
National Farm Animal Identification and Records Act - Amends the Animal Health Protection Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish an electronic nationwide livestock identification system (for individual animal identification) to enhance the Department of Agriculture's response to outbreaks of livestock disease. Requires that such system: (1) be capable of tracing, within 48 hours, an individual animal from birth to slaughter; and (2) provide for access by States and inclusion of State information. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) provide producer participation assistance; and (2) appoint an international panel of scientific experts to review the Department's response to an outbreak of livestock disease.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2003
Essential Air Service Preservation Act of 2003 - Repeals provisions establishing the Essential Air Service local participation program (a pilot program under which designated essential air service communities are required to assume ten percent of their essential air service subsidy costs).
United States · United States Congress · 25 November 2003
Small Manufacturers Assistance, Recovery, and Trade Act or SMART Act - Establishes in the Department of Commerce the position of Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing to: (1) identify and address the concerns of U.S. manufacturers; (2) develop policies that promote the viability and expansion of U.S. manufacturing; (3) review policies that adversely impact manufacturers; and (4) identify and address issues unique to small manufacturers and those that are exacerbated by the size or limited capital of small manufacturers. Establishes an Interagency Manufacturing Task Force to maximize, improve, and coordinate Federal agency resources in assisting the manufacturing industry. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish the position of Assistant United States Trade Representative for Small Business. Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a Small Business Manufacturing Task Force to evaluate and identify whether SBA programs and services are sufficient to serve the needs of small manufacturers. Requires the SBA Office of Entrepreneurial Development to develop: (1) new outreach and training programs for small manufacturers and small businesses in the manufacturing supply chain; (2) manufacturing workshops; and (3) programs and services to strengthen small business vendors and suppliers in the manufacturing supply chain. Amends the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to include small business manufacturing within the SBA loan and international trade programs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 November 2003
Interest on Business Checking Act of 2003 - Amends Federal law to authorize interest-bearing transaction accounts for all businesses, permitting up to 24 transfers per month to another account of the owner in the same institution (or any greater number the Federal Reserve Board may determine). Amends the Federal Reserve Act, the Home Owners' Loan Act, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to repeal the proscription on the payment of interest on demand deposits. Requires a joint rulemaking by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Federal banking agencies authorizing the payment of interest and dividends on transaction accounts at depository institutions under their respective jurisdictions. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to authorize the payment of interest at least quarterly by a Federal reserve bank on reserves maintained there on behalf of a depository institution. Revises the ratio of reserves a depository institution must maintain against its transaction accounts, permitting a ratio of zero. States that where escrow accounts are maintained at a depository institution for completion of a real estate settlement transaction specified expense-taking or fee-waiving activities shall not be treated as the payment or receipt of interest for purposes relating to the payment of interest on accounts or deposits maintained at depository institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2003
Retirement Account Portability Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 with respect to pensions and retirement assets to: (1) permit nonspouse beneficiaries (children, parents, etc.) to rollover retirement plan distributions; (2) revise provisions concerning the determination of exercise of control by a beneficiary or participant upon certain rollovers and distributions; (3) provide for the faster vesting of employer nonelective contributions; (4) eliminate the higher (25 percent versus 10 percent) penalty on certain early "simple retirement account" (SIMPLE) distributions; (5) remove specified restrictions on SIMPLE plan portability; (6) revise provisions concerning state and local government pension programs; (7) permit direct rollovers from retirement plans to Roth IRAs; and (8) allow certain mandatory distributions under $5,000 to be made to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2003
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the counting of residents in approved allopathic and osteopathic medical residency training programs for purposes of indirect medical education and direct graduate medical education payments. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to reimburse teaching hospitals for residents in nonprovider settings, when the hospital incurs all, or substantially all, the costs of training in that setting, starting from the effective date of a written agreement between the hospital and the entity owning or operating the nonprovider setting. Requires the effective date to be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Defines all, or substantially all, of the costs for the training program in that setting as the residents' stipends and benefits and other costs, if any, as determined by the parties.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2003
Extends through March 15, 2004, any program, authority, or provision, including any pilot program, that is authorized under the Small Business Act or the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 as of September 30, 2003. Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to increase from 1.38 to 1.46 the percentage fee authorized to be charged by the Small Business Administration to cover the cost of guaranteeing certain participating securities issued by small business investment companies.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2003
Mammography Quality Standards Reauthorization Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue a temporary renewal certificate (45 day maximum) to a mammography facility seeking reaccreditation if the accreditation body has issued an accreditation extension based upon the fact that the facility has: (1) submitted the required materials but the accreditation body was unable to complete the reaccreditation process before certification expiration; or (2) acquired additional or replacement equipment, or has had significant personnel changes or other unforeseen situations that have caused it to be unable to meet reaccreditation timeframes, but in the opinion of the accreditation body has not compromised mammography quality. Authorizes the Secretary, upon the request of an accreditation body, to issue a limited provisional certificate to an entity to enable it to conduct examinations for educational purposes while an onsite visit from an accreditation body is in progress (72 hour maximum).
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2003
Deplores the development by Iran of a nuclear weapons program and the failure of the Government of Iran to report material, facilities, and activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in contravention of its obligations under Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Concurs with the conclusion of the Department of State that Iran is pursuing a program to develop nuclear weapons. Calls on the President to use all appropriate means to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, with particular attention to the needs of the IAEA for information and access, including information concerning gas centrifuges and the conduct of uranium conversion experiments. Calls on Russia to suspend all nuclear cooperation with Iran until Iran fully complies with a specified IAEA resolution, with particular attention to spent fuel. Calls on the United Nations Security Council to consider immediately the passage of a Security Council resolution or the taking of other actions that may be necessary to impose diplomatic and economic sanctions against Iran if it fails to meet its obligations to the IAEA. Calls on the Government of Iran to cease all efforts to acquire nuclear fuel cycle capabilities and to end the enrichment and processing of uranium until it is able to provide specific, verifiable assurances that it is not engaged in a clandestine nuclear weapons program.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2003
Digital Opportunity Investment Trust Act - Establishes the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (the Trust), which shall receive 30 percent of the cash payment received by the Federal Government each fiscal year quarter through FY 2020 from auctions of the publicly owned electromagnetic spectrum and fees derived from the use of such spectrum. Establishes a Board to oversee administration of Trust funds. Establishes a Director of the Trust. Provides authorized Trust uses. Allows the Director of the Trust to award contracts and grants to nonprofit public institutions (with or without private partners) for innovative and experimental ideas and techniques to enhance learning and achieve specified related goals. Directs the Director to invest funds of the Trust in U.S. interest bearing or U.S.-guaranteed obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 11 November 2003
Presumes to be service-connected, and therefore compensable through veterans' disability compensation, hepatitis C becoming manifest to a degree of ten percent or more after active-duty military service with respect to veterans who, during a period of such service: (1) received a transfusion of blood or blood products before December 31, 1992; (2) were exposed to blood through the skin; (3) underwent hemodialysis; (4) experienced a needle-stick injury, not due to the veteran's willful misconduct; (5) were diagnosed with unexplained liver disease; or (6) served in a health-care position or specialty under circumstances to be prescribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2003
FamilyCare Act of 2003 - Renames the State Children's Health Insurance program (SCHIP) under title XXI of the Social Security Act (SSA) as the FamilyCare program to provide for: (1) FamilyCare coverage of parents and pregnant women under Medicaid (SSA title XIX) as well as under new SSA title XXI; (2) optional FamilyCare coverage of parents of targeted low-income children or targeted low-income pregnant women; (3) automatic eligibility for FamilyCare coverage of children born to a parent or pregnant women on FamilyCare assistance; (4) optional coverage of legal immigrants and of children through age 20 under Medicaid and FamilyCare; (5) application of simplified FamilyCare procedures under Medicaid; (6) elimination of the 100 hour rule and other SSA title IV part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) related eligibility restrictions under Medicaid; (7) limitations on specified conflicts of interests under Medicaid and FamilyCare; (8) an increased FamilyCare allotment for FY 2004 through 2011; and (9) a limitation on cost-sharing to 2.5 percent for families with income below 150 percent of the poverty level. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to award grants to States to allow them to demonstrate the effectiveness of innovative ways to increase access to health insurance through market reforms and other innovative means. Authorizes the Secretary to award demonstration grants to up to seven States (or other qualified entities) to conduct innovative programs designed to improve outreach to enroll homeless individuals and families and provide them services under specified programs for the homeless (including Medicaid and FamilyCare).
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 2003
Urges the Secretary of the Treasury to initiate negotiations with the Government of the People's Republic of China to ensure a market-based exchange rate valuation to permit effective balance of payments adjustments and to eliminate any unfair advantage. Encourages China to continue to act on its commitments to the trade rules and principles of the international community of which it is now a member.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2003
American Home Fire Safety Act - Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate, as final consumer product safety standards under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), specified fire safety standards for upholstered furniture, mattresses, bedclothing, and candles. Makes certain CPSA promulgation requirements inapplicable to the standards required to be promulgated by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2003
Poverty Reduction and Prevention Act - Amends the Community Services Block Grant Act to: (1) extend the community services block grant (CSBG) program; (2) stipulate that 125 percent of the official poverty line is the minimum level a State can set as its maximum eligibility requirement and 60 percent of State median income is the maximum level a State can set as its maximum eligibility requirement; (3) revise fund use, application and plan, and corrective action provisions; (4) require States to implement a financial and organizational assessment protocol; (5) require States to submit a separate CSBG audit; (6) include "religion" among the prohibited categories of exclusion; (7) revise the Secretary of Health and Human Services' discretionary authority; (8) extend community food and nutrition programs; and (9) extend national or regional programs to provide instructional activities to low-income youth. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Amendments of 2003 - Amends the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 to: (1) extend the low-income home energy assistance program; and (2) establish extreme weather- and energy cost-based triggers for the release of emergency funds. Assets for Independence Reauthorization Act - Amends the Assets for Independence Act extend the programs under such Act. Revises provisions respecting: (1) qualified expenses; (2) the reserve fund; (3) eligibility for participation; and (4) deposits by qualified entities.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2003
Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations allowing qualifying individuals to import covered products (in addition to pharmacists and wholesalers, whom current law authorizes to import such products). Amends provisions pertaining to record keeping regarding imported covered products. States that the Secretary shall not have to store records in cases in which qualifying individuals have imported a covered product. Amends provisions regarding the testing of imported covered products. Declares that specified tests, including ones involving authenticity and degradation of products, shall not be required unless the importer is a wholesaler. Requires such tests to be conducted by the importer unless a product is a prescription drug subject to the provisions of this Act pertaining to counterfeit-resistant packaging. (Currently either the importer or the manufacturer may conduct such tests). Eliminates the sunset date current law establishes for the provisions pertaining to the importation of covered products. Classifies prescription drugs as misbranded if they do not incorporate specified counterfeit-resistant technologies in packaging.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2003
Medicaid Psychiatric Hospital Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act with respect to reimbursement for specified emergency care and services of private institutions for mental diseases that are subject (under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Medicaid (EMTALA) Program) to certain requirements for examination and treatment for emergency medical conditions. Requires the Medicaid program to reimburse such institutions for care and services required to stabilize an emergency medical condition, the treatment for which is within the range of services that such institution typically provides, of an individual between ages 21 and 65 who came or was transferred to the institution.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2003
Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to prohibit the use of certain conservation funding to provide technical assistance under the conservation reserve program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2003
National Women's History Museum Act of 2003 - Requires the Administrator of General Services to enter into an occupancy agreement for up to 99 years to make the Pavilion Annex (the building and specified immediate surroundings, including any land unoccupied as of the enactment of this Act) in Washington, D.C. available to the National Women's History Museum, Inc. for a National Women's History Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 2003
Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 2003 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended by the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, and the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, to require certain group health plans, and health insurance issuers providing coverage under a group plan, to ensure specified minimum coverage regarding: (1) breast cancer mastectomies, lumpectomies, and lymph node dissections; and (2) secondary consultations by specialists. Prohibits: (1) changing coverage terms and conditions based on a participant's or beneficiary's decision to request less than the minimum coverage; and (2) certain penalties or incentives to providers or specialists. Amends: (1) the Public Health Service Act to apply the same requirements to health insurance issuers in the individual market; and (2) the Internal Revenue Code, as amended by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, to apply those requirements to group health plans.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 2003
Terrorism Victim Compensation Equity Act - Amends the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 to provide compensation for the U.S. citizens who were victims of the bombings of United States embassies in East Africa on August 7, 1998, the attack on the U.S.S. Cole on October 12, 2000, or the attack on the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993, on the same basis as compensation is provided to victims of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes on September 11, 2001. States that a claimant under this Act waives the right to file a civil action in any Federal or State court for damages sustained in the incident, except against a knowing participant in any conspiracy to commit any terrorist act. Exempts from such waiver any civil action to recover a collateral source obligation based on contract.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 2003
Medication Errors Reduction Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to eligible hospitals and skilled nursing facilities for costs related to purchasing, leasing, developing, and implementing standardized clinical health care informatics systems designed to improve patient safety and reduce adverse events and health care complications resulting from medication errors. Gives special consideration to eligible entities serving a large number of Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligible individuals. Reserves a certain percentage of grant funds for rural hospitals. Terminates grant authority on September 30, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 2003
Small Business Credit Liquidity Act of 2003 - Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to authorize the Small Business Administration (SBA), in order to encourage lenders to increase the availability of small business financing by improving lender access to reasonable funding sources, to provide a credit enhancement guarantee of, or a commitment to guarantee, a portion of the principal and interest on securities issued and managed by not less than two qualified entities authorized and approved by the SBA. Requires the SBA to set and maintain standards for qualified entities, including standards relating to delinquency, default, liquidation, and loss rates. Makes the SBA's credit enhancement guarantees second-loss guarantees, available only after the full payment of guarantees offered by the qualified entities authorized to act as issuers and managers of pools or trusts of loans. Provides loan pool or trust requirements and credit enhancement limits for FY 2004 through 2006. Directs the SBA to charge and collect a fee from issuers based on the SBA's guaranteed amount of issued securities.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2003
Local Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2003- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a railroad track maintenance credit for qualified railroad track maintenance expenditures with respect to which the expenditures were paid or incurred by the taxpayer for the taxable year for Class II or Class III railroads.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2003
Health Care Tax Credit Expansion Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make individuals receiving unemployment compensation eligible for the 65 percent credit for health insurance costs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2003
Adoption Promotion Act of 2003 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to revise requirements with respect to States eligible to receive adoption incentives payments. Reauthorizes the adoption incentive payments program. Provides additional incentives for adoptions of older children (nine years of age and up). Modifies requirements with respect to determination of numbers of special needs adoptions that are not older children as well as adoptions of older children. Revises the formula for adoption incentive payments to States to provide a payment for: (1) special needs adoptions that are not older child adoptions; and (2) older child adoptions. Repeals the requirement that the Secretary of Health and Human Services provide supplemental grants to incentive-eligible States. Authorizes the Secretary to impose specified penalties against a State for failure to provide necessary data to the Secretary for the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2003
National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2003 - Amends the National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 to repeal its sunset provisions (thus making the Act permanent).
![Official portrait of Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000663_200.jpg)