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United States · Official source
3,396 records where Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2009
Declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009
National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009 - Establishes the National Criminal Justice Commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system. Directs the Commission to: (1) review all areas of federal and state criminal justice costs, practices, and policies; (2) make specified findings relating to incarceration, prison administration, the impact of gang activity, drug policy, mental illness among prisoners and the role of the military in crime prevention; (3) make recommendations for changes in policies and laws to address findings; (4) consult with government and nongovernmental leaders, including state and local law enforcement officials; and (5) submit a final report to Congress and the President and make such report public.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009
Surface Estate Owner Notification Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, at least 45 days before the sale of a lease under the Mineral Leasing Act for development of U.S.-owned oil and gas resources (including coalbed methane), to submit a written notice to the surface estate owner of the land subject to the lease. Requires such a notice to include information on split estates and the rights and responsibilities of landowners. Requires the Secretary to notify the surface estate owner of: (1) the lessee's identity by 10 working days after a lease is issued; (2) any subsequent decisions regarding a lease, such as modification or waiver of stipulations and approval of rights of way; and (3) the issuance of the drilling permit within five days afterwards.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009
Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to study and report to specified congressional committees on the functions and capabilities of the Civil Air Patrol to support the homeland security missions of state, local, and tribal governments and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Requires the Comptroller General to review the process by which the Civil Air Patrol may provide assistance to DHS, other federal agencies, and states to support homeland security missions, including by providing: (1) aerial reconnaissance or communications capabilities for border security; (2) capabilities for collective response to an act of terrorism, natural disaster, or other man-made event by assisting in damage assessment and situational awareness, conducting search and rescue operations, assisting in evacuations, or transporting time-sensitive medical or other materials; or (3) assistance in the exercise and training of departmental resources responsible for the interception of aviation threats to designated restricted areas. Directs the Comptroller General's report to include assessments of: (1) the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of using Civil Air Patrol assets; and (2) whether existing mechanisms for requesting support from the Civil Air Patrol are sufficient. Requires the Secretary to analyze the study and submit a report, including any recommendations for action that could affect DHS's organization and administration.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009
Post-Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to issue guidance for the provision of an in-person mental health screening for each member of the Armed Forces deployed in connection with a contingency operation, in order to identify post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal tendencies, and other behavioral health issues for which additional care and treatment may be necessary. Excludes from such screenings members not subjected or exposed to combat stress during their deployment. Requires the Secretary to share screening results with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in order to ensure continuity of mental health care and treatment for such members during their transition from health care and treatment provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) to health care and treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009
Congratulates the Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears for winning the 2009 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men's Basketball National Championship.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2009
Community Choice Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require state Medicaid plan coverage of community-based attendant services and supports for certain Medicaid-eligible individuals. Outlines requirements for: (1) an enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for ongoing activities of early coverage states that enhance and promote the use of community-based attendant services and supports; and (2) increased federal financial participation for certain expenditures incurred by the state for the provision of such services and supports. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) award grants to eligible states which have established a Consumer Task Force to assist the state in its development of real choice systems change initiatives; and (2) conduct a demonstration project for the purpose of evaluating service coordination and cost-sharing approaches with respect to the provision of community-based services and supports to dually eligible individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2009
Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009 - Establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund for payments by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of a monthly benefit of $1,000 to each individual who, between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, was a documented member of the U.S. merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was operated in U.S. waters by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation and under contract to, or the property of, the United States. Requires such individuals to: (1) apply for such benefit before October 1, 2009; and (2) not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2009
Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay travel expenses for veterans receiving treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities at the rate of 41.5 cents per mile. (Under current law the rate is that provided to federal employees in connection with the performance of official duties.) Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish and operate at least one and up to five centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities; (2) establish a grant program to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in highly rural areas; (3) carry out demonstration projects to examine alternatives for expanding care for veterans in rural areas; (4) establish a program to provide peer support, readjustment, and mental health services to veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (and related services to their family members); (5) assign an Indian Veterans Health Care Coordinator for each of the ten VA facilities that serve communities with the greatest per capita number of Indian veterans; (6) report to Congress jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the advisability of the joint establishment and operation by the VA's Veterans Health Administration and the Indian Health Service of health clinics to serve populations of Indian reservations, including Indian veterans; and (7) report annually to Congress on matters related to VA care for veterans residing in rural areas.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2009
Teaming with Wildlife Act of 2009 - Amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to the federal aid to wildlife restoration fund for deposit in the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account for each of FY2011-FY2016 specified funds from: (1) amounts received from rents, royalties, and other sums paid to the Secretary or the Secretary of the Navy under leases on the outer Continental Shelf; and (2) amounts received from sales, bonuses, and royalties collected under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 and from rentals of public lands under the Mineral Leasing Act and the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2009
Amends the National Guard Youth Challenge Program (a training program to improve life skills and employment potential of civilian youth participants) to increase the Department of Defense (DOD) share of expenses to: (1) 100% of operating costs, in the first two years of a state program of the Program; and (2) 75% of operating costs, in the case of any other state program of the Program.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2009
Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner . Requires a coin design emblematic of the War of 1812, and in particular of, the Battle for Baltimore that formed the basis for the Star-Spangled Banner. Limits the period for coin issuance to calendar year 2012. Imposes a surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coins and $10 per coin for the $1 coins, which shall be distributed to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission for the purpose of supporting bicentennial activities, educational outreach activities, and preservation and improvement activities pertaining to the sites and structures relating to the War of 1812.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2009
Tribal Health Promotion and Tribal Colleges and Universities Advancement Act of 2009 - Through Higher Education: Promoting the Advancement of Tribal Health Act or THE PATH Act - Defines "tribal college or university" as having the meaning given the term by specified provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium for equitable Native American participation in HHS programs, services, and resources and to provide technical assistance to tribal colleges and universities. Requires grants to, or cooperative agreements with, tribal colleges and universities for: (1) health and wellness fairs, health promotion and disease prevention programs, and programs to reduce tribal community health disparities; (2) developing and strengthening public health professional degree programs; (3) research, grant management, and coordination of tribal college and university activities; and (4) research on health promotion and disease prevention. Establishes the Tribal College and University Rural Health Equity Endowment Fund to endow a tribal health professions workforce development program. Advancing Tribes Through Tribal Colleges and Universities Act or the AT TCUs Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to require the Secretary of Labor to establish the TCU Native Prosperity Program of grants to, or cooperative agreements with, tribal colleges and universities for economic development, entrepreneurship, community development, and sound fiscal leadership in Indian communities.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2009
Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement to provide federal assistance for the planning, design, and construction of the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System for specified counties in Montana and North Dakota. Lists agreement requirements. Limits the federal share of planning, design, and construction of the System to 75% of the total cost. Delineates the components of System facilities for which federal funds may be expended and the System's service area. Limits the obligation of funds for construction. Provides that any cost relating to the System's operation, maintenance, or replacement shall not be a federal responsibility and shall be paid by the System. Directs the Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration to make available to the System a quantity of power required to meet the System's pumping and incidental operation requirements from the water intake facilities and through the water treatment facilities and all first water distribution pumping facilities. Makes the System eligible to receive power only if it operates on a nonprofit basis and is constructed pursuant to the agreement. Directs the Authority to develop a water conservation plan containing a description of water conservation objectives and measures and a schedule for carrying out such measures. Requires the plan to be designed to ensure that users of water provided by the System will use the best practical technology and management techniques to conserve water.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2009
Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act or the FIT Kids Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require annual state and local educational agency report cards to include specified information on school health and physical education programs. Includes the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles by students within ESEA grant programs that support school counseling, smaller learning communities, community learning centers, and parental involvement in their childrens' education. Revises the professional development program for teachers and principals to include training for physical and health education teachers, and training on improving students' health habits and participation in physical activities. Directs the Secretary of Education to contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for a study that: (1) assesses the effect health and physical education have on students' ability to learn; and (2) makes recommendations for improving, and measuring improvements to, their health and physical education in schools.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2009
Amends the Clean Air Act to redefine "renewable biomass" as: (1) materials, pre-commercial thinnings, or invasive species from certain National Forest System land and public lands that are byproducts of preventive treatments that are removed to reduce hazardous fuels, reduce or contain disease or insect infestation, or restore ecosystem health, that would not otherwise be used for higher-value products, and that are harvested in accordance with specified requirements for old-growth forests and large tree retention; or (2) any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis from nonfederal land or land belonging to an Indian or Indian tribe that is held in trust by the United States or subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States, including specified renewable plant material and waste material.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2009
Firearms Fairness and Affordability Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require excise taxes on recreational equipment to be due and payable on the date for filing the return for such taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2009
Directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the award of a single gold medal in honor of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) collectively, in honor of their pioneering military service and exemplary record, which forged revolutionary reform in the U.S. Armed Forces. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian Institution shall make the medal available for display elsewhere, particularly at other locations associated with the WASP.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2009
Common Sense in Consumer Product Safety Act of 2009 - Amends the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 to prohibit considering a sale after the first retail sale or a repair of a used children's product to be an introduction into interstate commerce under provisions of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act concerning children's products containing lead (effectively making children's product lead limits inapplicable to secondary sales or repairs of such products). Prohibits considering a vehicle designed or intended primarily for children seven years of age or older to be a children's product under such provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2009
Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to take specified actions to regulate short sales of securities, including: (1) reinstating regulations in effect on July 5, 2007, prohibiting short sales of securities unless the previous price movement on such securities had been upward (the uptick rule); (2) rescinding the prohibition against applying certain price tests to short sales; (3) requiring trades by short sellers to yield priority and preference to transactions effected by long sellers of securities; (4) prohibiting short sales of securities of financial institutions unless such trades are effected at a price (in minimum lots, as specified by the SEC) that is at least 5 cents higher than the immediately preceding transaction in such securities; and (5) issuing regulations that prohibit short sales unless the seller can demonstrate a legally enforceable right to deliver the securities at the required delivery date and that require all short sales to settle on the same time frame employed for long sales of the same securities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2009
Plain Writing Act of 2009 - Requires each executive agency to use plain writing in every document (other than a regulation) issued to the public, including documents and other text released in electronic form. Requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance on implementing such requirements to agencies as a circular. Authorizes agencies, pending issuance of such guidance, to follow the writing guidelines developed by the Plain Language Action and Information Network or their own guidance as long as it is consistent with such guidelines. Requires each agency head to report to specified congressional committees on how the agency intends to: (1) communicate the requirements of this Act to employees; (2) train employees in plain writing; (3) meet the plain writing requirement; (4) ensure ongoing compliance with this Act; and (5) designate a senior official to be responsible for implementing this Act. Requires: (1) agency heads to report on compliance to OMB; and (2) OMB to report on the progress of agencies to such committees.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2009
Perpetual Purple Heart Stamp Act - Directs the Postmaster General to provide for the issuance of a forever stamp (a stamp that meets first-class postage requirements even if postage rates increase) to honor the sacrifices of the men and women of the Armed Forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2009
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Wild Horse, Montana, as a port of entry and to assign sufficient U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel and allocate sufficient equipment to accept entries of merchandise, clear passengers, collect duties, and enforce customs and related laws at such port for 24 hours per day.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2009
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2009 - Amends SSA title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) to: (1) continue entitlement to prescription drugs used in immunosuppressive therapy furnished to an individual who receives a kidney transplant for which payment is made under Medicare; and (2) extend Medicare secondary payer requirements for end stage renal disease (ESRD) beneficiaries. Amends title XVIII (Medicare ) of SSA to apply special rules to kidney transplant recipients receiving additional coverage for immunosuppressive drugs. Deems such individual to be enrolled under Medicare part B and makes the individual responsible for the full amount of the applicable premiums. Applies deductible and coinsurance requirements to the provision of such drugs. Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to set forth requirements for group health plans to provide coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2009
Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act or FLAME Act - Establishes in the Treasury the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Fund (Flame Fund). Requires amounts in the Flame Fund to be made available to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretaries) to pay the costs of catastrophic emergency wildland fire suppression activities that are separate from amounts annually appropriated for the predicted annual workload for such activities. Makes amounts in the Flame Fund available to the Secretaries only after such Secretaries issue a declaration that a wildland fire suppression activity is eligible for funding through the Fund. Directs such Secretaries to establish an accounting and reporting system for the Flame Fund. Requires such Secretaries to: (1) report annually to Congress on the use of the funds from the Flame Fund, together with recommendations to improve administrative control and oversight of the Fund; and (2) submit a report to Congress that contains a cohesive wildland fire management strategy, consistent with the recommendations of Comptroller General reports. Requires the Secretaries to conduct a review of wildfires for which expenses exceeding $10 million were incurred. Authorizes the Secretaries to make grants to fire-ready communities, as defined by this Act, to carry out activities to reduce risks from wildfires.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2009
Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009 - Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more). Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2009
Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2009
Repeals certain provisions which require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military retired pay or would be entitled to such pay except for being under 60 years of age. Prohibits recoupment by the Secretary of Defense of certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund. Repeals the optional authority of (and instead requires) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. Directs the Secretary concerned to restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to a surviving child or children of a member.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2009
Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to revise provisions governing the importation of prescription drugs. Waives the limitation on importation of prescription drugs that have been exported from the United States. Prohibits the importation of a qualifying drug unless such drug is imported by: (1) a registered importer; or (2) an individual for personal use. Establishes registration conditions for importers and exporters. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to inspect places of business, verify chains of custody, inspect facilities, and determine compliance with registration conditions. Sets forth provisions governing the importation of qualifying drugs that are different from U.S. label drugs, including standards for judging such differences. Prohibits manufacturers from: (1) discriminating against registered exporters or importers; (2) causing there to be a difference in a prescription drug distributed in the United States and one distributed in a permitted country; (3) engaging in actions to restrict, prohibit, or delay the importation of a qualifying drug; or (4) engaging in any action that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determines discriminates against a person that engages or attempts to engage in the importation of a qualifying drug. States that the resale in the United States of prescription drugs that were properly sold abroad is not patent infringement. Requires the Secretary to educate consumers regarding prescription drug importation. Sets forth provisions governing the sale of prescription drugs through an Internet site. Includes the dispensing or selling of a prescription drug in violation of this Act as a prohibited act under FFDCA. Prohibits the introduction of restricted transactions with unregistered foreign pharmacies into a payment system or the completion of such transactions using a payment system.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2009
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of Energy to: (1) designate field or district offices of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming to serve as Renewable Energy Pilot Project Offices for coordination of federal permits for renewable energy projects and transmission lines to integrate renewable energy; and (2) enter into an amended memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Chief of Engineers to provide for the inclusion of the additional Renewable Energy Pilot Project Offices in the Federal Permit Streamlining Pilot Project. Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to make the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund available to the Secretary of the Interior for expenditures for the coordination and processing of oil and gas and renewable energy use authorizations on onshore federal land under the jurisdiction of the Pilot Project Offices.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2009
Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, with respect to Medicare quality standards for suppliers of items and services which shall be applied by recognized independent accreditation organizations. Applies to pharmacies and pharmacists the eligible professional exemption from such accreditation requirements, unless such standards are designed specifically for application to pharmacies and pharmacists. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to exempt pharmacies and pharmacists from such standards if licensing, accreditation, or other mandatory quality requirements apply to them with respect to the furnishing of items and services.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2009
Redesignates the: (1) Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps; and (2) Secretary of the Navy as the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. Makes similar redesignations with respect to Department Assistant Secretaries and the General Counsel.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2009
Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2009 or the ABLE Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish tax-exempt ABLE accounts for individuals with a disability to pay certain expenses of such individuals, including expenses for education, housing, transportation, employment support, medical care, and certain life necessities. Defines "individual with a disability" as an individual who is eligible to receive certain supplemental security income benefits under the Social Security Act. Allows individual taxpayers a tax deduction, up to $2,000 per year, for contributions to an ABLE account. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to study and report to Congress on the use of ABLE accounts and the effect of the tax deduction for contributions to such accounts. Requires ABLE accounts to be disregarded in determining eligibility for Medicaid benefits and for purposes of determining eligibility for other means-tested federal programs.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2009
Access for All America Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) increase and extend the authorization of appropriations for community health centers and for the National Health Service Corps scholarship and loan repayment program for FY2010-FY2015, and provide for increased funding for such programs in FY2016 and each subsequent fiscal year; and (2) revise and expand provisions allowing a community health center to provide services at different locations, adjust its operating plan and budget, enter into arrangements with other centers to purchase supplies and services at reduced cost, and correct material failures in grant compliance.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2009
Designates the first week of April 2009 as National Asbestos Awareness Week. Urges the Surgeon General to warn and educate people about asbestos exposure, which may be hazardous to their health.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2009
Military Spouses Residency Relief Act - Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prohibit, for purposes of voting for a federal, state, or local office, deeming a person to have lost a residence or domicile in a state, acquired a residence or domicile in any other state, or become a resident in or of any other state solely because the person is absent from a state because the person is accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from the state in compliance with military or naval orders. Prohibits a servicemember's spouse from either losing or acquiring a residence or domicile for purposes of taxation because of being absent or present in any U.S. tax jurisdiction solely to be with the servicemember in compliance with the servicemember's military orders if the residence or domicile is the same for the servicemember and the spouse. Prohibits a spouse's income from being considered income earned in a tax jurisdiction if the spouse is not a resident or domiciliary of such jurisdiction when the spouse is in that jurisdiction solely to be with a servicemember serving under military orders. Suspends land rights residency requirements for spouses accompanying servicemembers serving under military orders.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2009
Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require Senate candidates to file election-related designations, statements, and reports in electronic form. Requires the Secretary of the Senate to forward a copy of any electronically filed designation, statement, or report to the Federal Election Commission within one working day (instead of the current two working days) after receiving it.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2009
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable amount of the railroad track maintenance tax credit; (2) revise the types of expenditures eligible for such credit; and (3) extend such credit through 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2009
Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 350,000 $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Girl Scouts of the USA. Requires the coin design to be emblematic of the 100 years of the organization. Restricts issuance of such coins to calendar year 2011. Subjects coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin. Requires payment of such surcharges to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America for Girl Scout program development and delivery.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2009
Requires the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of all open sessions of the Court unless it decides by majority vote that allowing such coverage in a particular case would violate the due process rights of any of the parties involved.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2009
Indian Development Finance Corporation Act - Establishes the Indian Development Finance Corporation to take certain actions, including: (1) providing development capital through financial services under this Act; (2) encouraging the development of new and existing Indian business enterprises eligible to receive assistance from the Corporation; and (3) otherwise assisting in strengthening Indian tribal economies through the development of Indian business enterprises. Authorizes the Corporation to: (1) make loans or commitments for loans to any Indian business enterprise; (2) purchase, insure, or discount any obligation of an Indian business enterprise if the enterprise meets specified requirements; (3) purchase, or make commitments to purchase, any portion of the equity or ownership interest in the Indian business enterprise for purposes of providing long-term capital and working capital; and (4) supervise or participate in the management of an Indian business enterprise in which such an investment has been made. Authorizes the Corporation to issue shares of stock. Requires the stock to be issued only to, and held only by, an Indian tribe or the federal government. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) initially subscribe to at least $20 million in stock and; and (2) beginning in FY2012, subscribe to $80 million in stock (unless the Corporation's board requests a smaller amount). Makes all stock subscribed to by the Secretary nonvoting and prohibits that stock from accruing dividends.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2009
Quality Reform Expansion and Savings Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award quality reform grants to eligible entities to enhance, encourage, and expedite implementation of quality reform plans in order to: (1) encourage the coordinated development of local health care quality reforms; (2) fund the development of practices beneficial to the health care system; (3) expand information technology, electronic health records, and interoperable data systems in the health care system; (4) develop reimbursement practices that align financial incentives with health and prevention reforms to identify and encourage best practices; (5) lower the costs of health care delivery; (6) encourage reform initiatives in different U.S. regions; and (7) reward cooperation among local entities engaged in reforming the health care system. Requires the Secretary to establish the Quality Reform Committee, which shall: (1) approve the application of an eligible entity and recommend to the Secretary that a grant be awarded; (2) evaluate and exchange best practices related to activities carried out under the grant; (3) share research and expertise; and (4) study, identify, and report on market failures and anomalies that create economic incentives adverse to achievement of the goals of quality reform, cost reduction, health information technology expansion, and illness prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2009
Meth Mouth Prevention and Community Recovery Act - Requires the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention to make grants to enable public and private nonprofit entities to determine whether educating youth about meth mouth (oral decay that is commonly associated with methamphetamine use) is an effective strategy for preventing or reducing methamphetamine use. Reserves a portion of appropriated funds for Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand and intensify the clinical research, health services research, and public health research on associations between substance use disorders, oral health, and the provision of dental care. Requires the Secretary to study the effect methamphetamine use has on the demand for, and provision of, dental care. Directs the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support training and offer technical assistance to ensure that dentists and allied dental personnel are prepared to: (1) recognize signs of alcohol or drug addiction; (2) discuss the nature of substance abuse as it relates to their area of expertise; (3) understand how certain dental therapies can affect the relapse potential of substance dependent patients; and (4) help those affected by a substance use disorder find appropriate treatment for their conditions. Authorizes the Administrator to collaborate with professional accrediting bodies to develop and support substance abuse training courses for oral health professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2009
Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a group health plan from imposing an aggregate lifetime benefit limit of less than: (1) $5 million for the first two plan years; (2) $10 million for the third and fourth plan years; and (3) adjusted amounts based on the consumer price index for subsequent plan years. Excludes from such prohibition a group health plan offered to employees of a small employer, except upon request of the employer for a consistent limit. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with the Institute of Medicine for a study to determine the number of individuals who have reached the lifetime limitations set forth in this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2009
Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 - Requires, beginning with FY2011, a two-fiscal-year new discretionary budget authority for the following accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) Medical Services; (2) Medical Support and Compliance; and (3) Medical Facilities. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the adequacy and accuracy of VA baseline model projections for health care expenditures.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2009
Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act - Prohibits the President from regulating or prohibiting travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents or any of the transactions ordinarily incident to such travel, except in time of war or armed hostilities between the United States and Cuba, or of imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of U.S. travelers.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2009
Heart Disease Education, Analysis Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to deny a new drug application if the application fails to include required information on clinical investigations. Directs the Secretary to: (1) require that a new drug application include any clinical data possessed by the applicant that relates to the safety and effectiveness of the drug involved by gender, age, and racial subgroup; and (2) develop guidance for the staff of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that new drug applications are adequately reviewed to determine whether they include the required clinical data. Authorizes the Secretary to place a clinical hold on an investigation under an investigational new drug application if the sponsor of the investigation fails to meet the requirements of an annual report on the status of each study in progress. Applies provisions relating to clinical data submission for new drug applications to applications for an investigational new drug, a biologics license for a biological product, premarket approval for a class III device, and investigational use of a device. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to provide that all nonidentifiable patient safety work product reported to and among the network of patient safety databases be identified by sex. Directs that analyses of statistics of information reported to the network of patient safety databases take into account data that specifically relates to women and any disparities between treatment and the quality of care between males and females. Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to support research and demonstrations to identify and evaluate clinical and organizational strategies to improve the quality of and access to care for women with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Requires the Secretary to: (1) distribute to females age 65 or older and appropriate health care professionals educational materials relating to the prevention diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases in women; and (2) conduct an education and awareness campaign for health care professionals relating to such diagnosis and treatment. Expands the grant program authorizing the Secretary to award grants for preventive health services to all states.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2009
Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 or the Credit CARD Act of 2009 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require advance notice of any increase in the annual percentage rate of interest (APR) pertaining to a credit card account under an open end consumer credit plan. Imposes a freeze on interest rate terms and fees on canceled cards. Sets limits on fees and interest charges, including a prohibition against penalties for on-time payments. Prohibits a creditor from furnishing information to a consumer reporting agency concerning a newly opened credit card account until the credit card has been used or activated by the consumer. Revises requirements for prompt and fair crediting of card payments. Prohibits universal default (except in certain circumstances) and unilateral changes to cardholder agreements. Increases the civil penalty against any creditor who fails to comply with specified requirements in the case of an individual action relating to an open end credit plan that is not secured by real property or a dwelling. Requires specified federal regulatory agencies to evaluate the policies and procedures used by credit card issuers for compliance with this Act. Revises: (1) payoff and repayment timing disclosure requirements; and (2) requirements relating to late payment deadlines and penalties. Prohibits issuance of: (1) a credit card on behalf of a consumer under age 21, unless the consumer has submitted a written application meeting specified requirements; and (2) certain affinity cards to students unless certain requirements have been met. Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to allow underage consumers to elect to be included in certain listings compiled by a consumer reporting agency. Amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to require all federal banking agencies and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to coordinate rulemaking and regulations. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to certain congressional committees on: (1) the status of regulations of the federal banking agencies and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) regarding unfair and deceptive acts or practices by depository institutions and federal credit unions; and (2) the extent to which interchange fees are required to be disclosed to consumers and merchants, and how such fees are overseen by the federal banking agencies. Directs the Comptroller General to establish the Credit Card Safety Rating System Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2009
State Secrets Protection Act - Amends the federal judicial code to: (1) require a federal court to determine which filings, motions, and affidavits (or portions) submitted under this Act shall be submitted ex parte; (2) allow a federal court to order a party to provide a redacted, unclassified, or summary substitute of a filing, motion, or affidavit to other parties; and (3) require a federal court to make decisions under this Act, taking into consideration the interests of justice and national security. Requires any hearing under this Act to be conducted in camera. Prohibits an in camera hearing, however, based on the assertion of the state secrets privilege, if the court determines that the hearing relates only to a question of law and does not present a risk of revealing state secrets. Allows a federal court to conduct hearings (or portions) ex parte if the court determines, following in camera review of the evidence, that the interests of justice and national security cannot adequately be protected through attorney security clearances, protective orders, sealed opinions or orders, and special masters. Authorizes a court, if the United States fails to provide an attorney or guardian ad litem with necessary security clearance in a reasonable period of time, to review in camera and ex parte the reasons for denying or delaying the clearance, in order to ensure that the United States is not withholding a security clearance from a particular attorney or class of attorneys for any reason other than protection of national security. Authorizes the United States to intervene in any civil action in order to protect information that may be subject to the state secrets privilege. Declares, however, that the state secrets privilege shall not constitute grounds for dismissal of a case or claim. Prescribes procedures for: (1) determining whether evidence is protected from disclosure by the state secrets privilege; and (2) when evidence protected by the state secrets privilege is necessary for adjudication of a claim or counterclaim. Requires the court to give substantial weight to an assertion by the United States relating to why public disclosure of an item of evidence would be reasonably likely to cause significant harm to the national defense or foreign relations of the United States. Grants courts of appeal jurisdiction of an appeal by any party from any interlocutory decision or order of a U.S. district court. Requires the Attorney General within 30 days to report in writing to Congress on any case in which the United States asserts the state secrets privilege. Applies this Act to civil cases pending on or after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2009
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 2009, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date.