United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2005
Constitutional Amendment - Authorizes the President to reduce or disapprove appropriations in any bill, order, resolution, or vote, which is presented to the President. Declares that any legislation that the President approves and signs after such amendment shall become law as so modified. Requires the President to return those portions of the legislation that contain reduced or disapproved appropriations with objections to the chamber where such legislation originated. Allows Congress to consider separately any reduced or disapproved appropriations in the manner prescribed under the U.S. Constitution for bills disapproved by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2005
Gas Petroleum Refiner Improvement and Community Empowerment Act or the Gas PRICE Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce and the Economic Development Administration to give priority to the construction of petroleum-based refineries in communities affected by military base closures or realignments. Revises the process for issuing permits for the construction and operation of a refinery. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to (1) solicit applications for grants under the EPA Natural Gas STAR Program to reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas industries; and (2) conduct workshops to provide information to state officials on methane emission reduction techniques. Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) hold states harmless for emission levels resulting from emergency waivers granted by EPA; and (2) require the Administrator to revoke the approval of certain fuels no longer included in a state implementation plan. Requires the Administrator to: (1) conduct a research and demonstration program to evaluate the air quality benefits of ultra-clean Fischer-Tropsch transportation fuel, including diesel and jet fuel; (2) evaluate the use of such fuel for reducing engine exhaust emissions; and (3) submit recommendations and reports to Congress. Authorizes loan guarantees for domestic coal and petroleum coke-based Fischer-Tropsch commercial demonstration projects.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
Gulf Coast Recovery Act - Prohibits any person or entity awarded a government contract to perform rescue, recovery, repair, or reconstruction work in any part of a disaster zone, as a result of the performance of that work, from being subject to liability that any private party may seek to impose under any provision of federal law (including any regulation) that: (1) is administered by the Secretary of the Army, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or the Secretary of Transportation; and (2) otherwise permits the filing of a lawsuit by a private individual. Sets forth provisions with respect to a federal cause of action for claims arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the performance of a government contract in a disaster zone for: (1) the search, rescue, or recovery of individuals or property dislocated by the disaster; (2) the demolition, removal, repair, or reconstruction of structures or utilities damaged by the disaster; (3) the clean-up or remediation of property polluted by the disaster; (4) the removal of debris deposited by the disaster (including dredging); or (5) the dewatering of property flooded by the disaster. Makes the Chief of Engineers of the Department of the Army exclusively responsible for the review of any government contract that any person or entity claims to be necessary for the recovery of a disaster zone from a disaster for the purpose of establishing a government contractor defense in any lawsuit for claims relating to the performance of a government contract.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2005
Good Samaritan Liability Improvement and Volunteer Encouragement Act of 2005 (GIVE Act of 2005) - Exempts from liability for acts or omissions: (1) disaster relief volunteers; (2) employers or business partners of disaster relief volunteers; (3) hosts or enabling persons, entities, or organizations; and (4) governmental and intergovernmental entities for donations of disaster relief goods. Specifies limits to punitive and non-economic damages for willful, knowing, or reckless misconduct based on the actions of disaster relief volunteers and governmental or intergovernmental donors. Provides for: (1) judicial review of allegations; (2) supplemental disaster declarations by the President, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary of Homeland Security; and (3) state election for nonapplicability of a provision of this Act to certain civil actions in state court. Amends the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 with respect to liability protection for actions of volunteers generally. Exempts persons from civil liability relating to any injury or death involving: (1) donations of equipment to nonprofit organizations; or (2) use of facilities, a motor vehicle or aircraft provided to nonprofit organizations. Provides for judicial review of allegations
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2005
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct pilot projects under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act for the purpose of providing incentives to home health agencies to utilize home monitoring and communications technology.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2005
Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to obligate more than $100 million in a state for a fiscal year under the emergency relief program for projects for the repair or reconstruction of highways, roads, and trails in response to damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. (Effectively, modifies the $100 million limit that may be obligated from such program in any fiscal year for such projects). Sets the federal share of project costs at 100%. Authorizes appropriations in the amount of $2.9 billion for the emergency relief program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2005
Emergency Lease Requirements Act of 2005 - Amends federal law concerning public buildings to revise requirements relating to the authority of the Administrator of General Services to enter into emergency leases during major disasters and other emergencies. Extends from 180 days to five years the maximum term of an emergency lease without specific congressional approval of the lease prospectus.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2005
Expresses the Senate's disapproval of the decision by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Newdow, et al. v. U.S. Congress, et al. (holding that the policy of daily teacher-led recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance by public school students violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution). Authorizes and instructs the Senate Legal Counsel to continue to cooperate fully with the Attorney General in such case to vigorously defend the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2005
Acknowledges Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist's lifelong service to the United States. Commends his 33-year tenure on the U.S. Supreme Court and his many accomplishments as Chief Justice. Extends sympathy to his family and friends.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2005
Permits a Senator or employee of the Senate to: (1) solicit another Senator or employee of the Senate within Senate buildings for nonmonetary donations for the relief of victims of Hurricane Katrina; and (2) work with a nonprofit organization with respect to the delivery of such donations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2005
Declares that the Senate: (1) expresses the condolences of the Nation to the victims of Hurricane Katrina; (2) commends the resiliency and courage of the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama; and (3) commits to provide the necessary resources and to stand by the people of such states in the relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2005
Exempts the Spearfish Hydroelectric Plant Number 1 located in Lawrence County, South Dakota, from the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Instructs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the United States Geological Survey, to study the hydrology of Spearfish Creek, South Dakota. Expresses the sense of Congress that the city of Spearfish, South Dakota, in order to provide for the restoration and improvement of Spearfish Creek, should: (1) uphold the Memorandum Agreement of the city of Spearfish and the Spearfish Canyon Landowners Association, dated September 14, 2004; and (2) take action to release additional water flow of approximately five to 10 cubic feet per second between the Maurice Intake Dam and the Spearfish Diversion.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2005
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Amendments Act of 2005 - Amends the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Act to make member landowners eligible for the additional financial compensation provided to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe for the acquisition by the federal government of 104,492 acres of land of the Tribe and member landowners for the Oahe Dam and Reservoir project. Defines member landowner as a member of the Tribe (or an heir of such a member) that owned land on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation that was acquired by the United States for the Oahe Dam and Reservoir Project. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit into the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Recovery Trust Fund an amount equal to 25% of the amount deposited into the Treasury from the power program during the preceding fiscal year for the period between October 1, 2004, and the last date of the fiscal year during which the total amount deposited into the Treasury from the power program equals a specified amount. Authorizes the plan prepared for the use of payments to the Tribe to provide for payment of additional compensation to member landowners. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to assist the Tribe in claims processing by providing any record requested to identify the heirs of member landowners within 60 days after receiving a request.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2005
Small Business Economic Impact Analysis Act of 2005 - Prohibits an agency from making a qualified termination or restructuring (a termination of the use of a facility or restructuring that will result in the net loss of at least 1,000 jobs in a state) unless it conducts a detailed analysis of the impact on small businesses and small governmental jurisdictions of the proposed termination or restructuring. Requires: (1) a related cost-benefit analysis; and (2) the agency to publish a draft of the analysis at least 180 days before undertaking the termination or restructuring. Directs the: (1) agency to publish a final economic analysis; and (2) Comptroller General to review such final analysis. Prohibits an agency from taking final action on a termination or restructuring until its analysis receives a satisfactory review from the Comptroller General. Authorizes judicial review for any small business or small governmental jurisdiction adversely affected or aggrieved by a qualifying termination or restructuring.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2005
Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a three-year pilot program under which up to 15 states may issue electronic migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps. Prohibits a state's participation in the program absent the Secretary's approval of an application providing details of the state's electronic stamp process. Requires the Secretary to publish eligibility requirements and selection criteria. Directs the Secretary to require participating states to: (1) provide an actual (paper) stamp to each individual to whom the state sells an electronic stamp by the date on which the electronic stamp expires; and (2) collect and transmit to the Secretary electronic stamp revenue and customer information. Authorizes participating states to charge a reasonable fee to cover program costs. Sets forth requirements for electronic stamps. Authorizes termination of a state's participation in the program by the Secretary for violations of application terms or by a state upon providing written notice.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2005
Second Amendment Protection Act of 2005 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should not provide financial support to international entities that abridge the constitutionally protected rights of law-abiding U.S. citizens to keep and bear arms. Prohibits U.S. funding to the United Nations for a fiscal year unless the President certifies to Congress that the United Nations has not taken action to restrict or otherwise adversely infringe upon the rights of U.S. individuals to possess a firearm or ammunition, including the imposition of a tax that will interfere with the right to own a firearm or ammunition.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2005
Free Flow of Information Act of 2005 - Prohibits a federal entity from compelling a "covered person" (i.e., a newspaper, television broadcast station, wire service, or other media outlet, and specified employees and contractors) to testify or produce any document unless a court determines that: (1) the party seeking to compel has unsuccessfully attempted to obtain such testimony or document from all other non-covered persons; (2) in a criminal matter, there are reasonable grounds to believe a crime has occurred and the testimony or document sought is essential to the investigation, prosecution, or defense of the crime; (3) in a non-criminal matter, the testimony or document is essential to a dispositive issue of substantial importance; and (4) in any matter in which testimony or a document could reveal the source's identity, disclosure is necessary to prevent imminent and actual harm to national security and such harm outweighs the public interest in protecting the free flow of information. Requires the content of compelled testimony or documents to be limited and narrowly tailored. Exempts certain commercial or financial information. Makes this Act applicable to testimony or documents that a third party or federal entity seeks from a communications service provider relating to business transactions with a covered person. Sets forth notice requirements. Permits a court to delay notice to a covered person upon determining that such notice would pose a substantial threat to the integrity of a criminal investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2005
National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act of 2005 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a pilot program to provide regulatory compliance assistance to small businesses through participating Small Business Development Centers (Centers). Requires the Administrator to enter into arrangements with participating Centers to provide: (1) access to regulatory information and resources; (2) training and education activities; (3) confidential counseling to owners and operators of small businesses regarding compliance with Federal regulations; (4) technical assistance; and (5) partnerships with Federal compliance programs. Requires the Administrator, giving substantial weight to the recommendations of the majority of the Centers, to select the Center programs of two States from each of ten groups of States for participation in the pilot program. Provides grant limits. Terminates the pilot program four years after disbursement of the first grant.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Gaylord A. Nelson, a former member of the United States Senate from Wisconsin. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on July 11, 2005, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Nelson.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Declares that the Senate: (1) expresses deepest sympathies and condolences to the people of the United Kingdom and the victims and their families for the heinous terrorist attacks that occurred in London on July 7, 2005; (2) condemns these barbaric and unwarranted attacks on the innocent people of London; (3) expresses strong and continued solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom and pledges to remain shoulder-to-shoulder with them to bring the terrorists responsible for these brutal attacks to justice; and (4) calls upon the international community to renew and strengthen efforts to defeat terrorists by dismantling terrorist networks and exposing the violent and nihilistic ideology of terrorism, increase international cooperation to advance personal and religious freedoms, ethnic and racial tolerance, political liberty and pluralism, and economic prosperity, and combat the social injustice, oppression, poverty, and extremism that breeds terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2005
Telephone Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on communication services (i.e., local telephone service, toll telephone service, and teletypewriter exchange service).
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2005
Protection of Homes, Small Businesses, and Private Property Act of 2005 - Declares that the power of eminent domain shall be available only for public use, which shall not be construed to include economic development. Applies such limitation to all exercises of eminent domain by the federal government or by state and local governments through the use of federal funds.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2005
Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Therapy and Research Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with qualified cord blood stem cell banks to assist in the collection and maintenance of cord blood to be made available for transplantation through the Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Cell Transplantation Program. Requires the Secretary to require that recipients of such contracts: (1) acquire and store donated units of human cord blood; and (2) make collected cord blood units available for stem cell transplantation or, if not appropriate for clinical use, available for peer-reviewed research. Requires the Secretary to establish a demonstration project for the collection and storage of cord blood units for a family where a relative has been diagnosed with a condition that will benefit from transplantation. Amends the Public Health Service Act to rewrite provisions requiring the Secretary to establish and maintain a National Bone Marrow Donor Registry to require the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to establish and maintain the Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Cell Transplantation Program to increase the number of transplants for recipients suitably matched to biologically unrelated donors of bone marrow and cord blood. Requires the Secretary to establish a related Advisory Council. Prescribes new requirements for the Program, including: (1) operating a system for listing, searching, and facilitating the distribution of donated cord blood units; (2) maintaining and expanding medical contingency response capabilities to prepare for and respond effectively to biological, chemical, or radiological attacks and other ublic health emergencies that can damage marrow; and (3) carrying out recruitment programs and educational activities. Requires the Secretary to: (1) enforce quality standards and donor selection criteria; (2) establish an office of patient advocacy; and (3) establish a scientific database of outcome information.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2005
Health Technology to Enhance Quality Act of 2005 or the Health TEQ Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology to carry out programs and activities to develop a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure. Requires the Coordinator to establish a permanent Electronic Health Information Standards Development Working Group to review existing standards, identify deficiencies, and recommend modifications. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review and provide for the adoption by the federal government of any recommended modification or standard. Requires the Secretary to develop criteria to: (1) ensure uniform and consistent implementation of any standards voluntarily adopted by private entities; and (2) ensure and certify hardware, software, and support services compliance with adopted standards. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Coordinator, to direct and coordinate federal spending related to the electronic exchange of health information and the adoption of recommendations of the Working Group. Prohibits any federal agency from expending federal funds to purchase hardware, software, or support services for implementation of a standard related to the electronic exchange of health information that is not an adopted standard. Allows the Secretary to award grants for the implementation of regional or local health information plans. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a safe harbor for group purchasing of hardware, software, and support services; and (2) guidelines that permit certain arrangements between health plans and issuers and health care providers. Requires the heads of relevant federal agencies to adopt and review uniform health care quality measures. Requires the Secretary to establish a Medicare value based purchasing pilot program and authorize waivers for states to establish value based purchasing programs for state Medicaid programs.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2005
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable J. James Exon, former United States Senator for Nebraska. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on June 13, 2005, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Exon.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies Act - Establishes the Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies to: (1) evaluate executive agencies and their programs; and (2) submit to Congress a plan recommending agencies and programs that should be realigned or eliminated and proposing implementing legislation. Directs the President to: (1) establish a systematic method for assessing the effectiveness and accountability of agency programs; and (2) submit to the Commission assessments of not less than 50 percent of the programs that use such method. Prohibits the implementation of such method until it has been reviewed and accepted by the Commission. Requires the Commission to consider submitted assessments in evaluating programs. Requires the President to identify common performance measures for programs having similar functions and provide the Commission with data on such measures.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Directs the Secretary of Defense to permit any member of the Armed Forces to provide to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission testimony on the military value of a military installation inside the United States, for purposes of the consideration by such Commission of the Secretary's recommendations for the 2005 round of defense base closures and realignments under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990. Prohibits any retaliation or discrimination against a member providing or about to provide such testimony.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Development Bank Reform and Authorization Act of 2005 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to seek the creation of a pilot program that establishes an Anti-Corruption Trust at the World Bank, whose purposes shall include: (1) assisting poor countries in investigations and prosecutions of fraud and corruption related to a Bank loan, grant, or credit; and (2) determining whether such a pilot program should be carried out at other multilateral development banks. Directs the Secretary to monitor pilot program fund use. Amends the International Financial Institutions Act to direct the Secretary to use U.S. influence to promote goals at multilateral development banks (the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, and their subsidiaries or affiliates) relating to: (1) transparency; (2) financial disclosure; (3) anti-corruption; (4) enhanced auditing; (5) compensation for people negatively affected by bank projects; (6) borrower country qualifications; and (7) resource dependent country revenue transparency. Expresses the sense of Congress in support of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative and the 2003 and 2004 G-8 agreements. Amends the International Development Association Act to authorize the contribution of specified sums on behalf of the United States to the fourteenth replenishment of the International Development Association. Amends the African Development Fund Act to authorize the contribution of specified sums on behalf of the United States to the tenth replenishment of the Fund. Amends the Asian Development Bank Act to authorize the contribution of specified sums on behalf of the United States to the eighth replenishment of the Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2005
Requires the Secretary of Defense, within seven days after the enactment of this Act, to submit to Congress all Department of Defense (DOD) documentation related to the 2005 round of defense base closures and realignments. Terminates the 2005 round if such documentation is not provided. Extends certain recommendation submission and related report dates under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 relating to the 2005 round of closures and realignments by the number of days after May 16, 2005, that the above documentation is submitted.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2005
College 529 InvEST Act of 2005 - Makes permanent the provision relating to qualified tuition programs enacted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA).
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2005
District of Columbia Personal Protection Act - Amends specified law prohibiting the killing of wild birds and wild animals in the District of Columbia to declare that nothing in it or any other provision of law shall authorize or be construed to permit the Council, the Mayor, or any governmental or regulatory authority of the District to prohibit, constructively prohibit, or unduly burden the ability of persons otherwise not prohibited from possessing firearms under Federal law from acquiring, possessing in their homes or businesses, or using for sporting, self-protection or other lawful purposes, any firearm neither prohibited by Federal law nor subject to the National Firearms Act. Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms. Amends the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 to repeal the definition of a machine gun as any firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily converted or restored to shoot semiautomatically, more than 12 shots without manual reloading. (Thus repeals the ban on semiautomatic weapons.) Redefines "machine gun" to include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person. Repeals the District's: (1) registration requirement for possession of firearms; (2) prohibition on possession of handgun restricted pistol bullets; and (3) requirement that, under certain conditions, firearms in the possession of certain individuals must be kept unloaded, disassembled, or with the trigger locked. Repeals the definition of restricted pistol bullet as any bullet designed for use in a pistol which, when fired from a pistol with a barrel of five inches or less in length, is capable of penetrating commercially available body armor with a penetration resistance equal to or greater than that of 18 layers of kevlar. Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle. Eliminates criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered firearm. Amends Federal law to eliminate criminal penalties for carrying a pistol whether loaded or unloaded in one's dwelling house, place of business, or on land possessed by such person. Amends the District of Columbia Code to extend to firearms generally (currently, only to pistols) the prohibition against carrying such a weapon either openly or concealed within the District without a license issued pursuant to D.C. law. Specifies exceptions to the prohibition against carrying concealed weapons in the District.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2005
Preserving Patient Access to Physicians Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to payment for physicians' services to establish an update to the single conversion factor for 2006 of at least 2.7 %, and a formula for an update to the single conversion factor for 2007. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in calculating the formula for the single conversion factor, to establish an input price index and estimate a productivity adjustment factor for 2007.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2005
Jacob Wetterling, Megan Nicole Kanka, and Pam Lychner Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act or the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act - Repeals existing provisions governing state registration programs for persons convicted of a criminal offense against a minor or of a sexually violent offense. Directs the Attorney General to carry out a Jacob Wetterling, Megan Nicole Kanka, and Pam Lychner Sex Offender Registration and Notification program under which a "covered individual" (an individual convicted of a listed offense against a minor) shall, for that individual's life, provide to the Attorney General specified information, including any change of address and employer. Lists exceptions. Sets penalties for violations. Requires the Attorney General to prescribe regulations to ensure that every covered individual wears and maintains a device that transmits information about that person's whereabouts to the domicile state, subject to specified requirements. Sets penalties for violations. Lists the responsibilities of the Attorney General and State or tribal actors. Provides for specified community notification by law enforcement. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) maintain a National Sex Offender Registry database to track the whereabouts and movements of covered individuals; (2) develop a software application that can be used by state and tribal actors; (3) establish and maintain a database to manage DNA information regarding covered individuals; and (4) carry out a Sex Offender Management Assistance program for awarding grants to states or tribal actors to offset costs associated with implementing this Act. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to subject to deportation any alien who is a covered individual and who fails to provide registration information under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Amends the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to postpone the 2005 round of defense base closures and realignments, as currently required under such Act, until the last of the following occurs: (1) the complete analysis, consideration, and implementation by the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) of the recommendations of the Commission on Review of Overseas Military Facility Structure of the United States; (2) the return from deployment in Iraq of substantially all major U.S. combat units and assets; (3) the receipt by the congressional defense committees of the report on the quadrennial defense review to be submitted by the Secretary in 2006; (4) the complete development and implementation by the Secretary and the Secretary of Homeland Security of the National Maritime Security Strategy; (5) the complete development and implementation by the Secretary of the Homeland Defense and Civil Support directive; and (6) the receipt by the defense committees of a report from the Secretary assessing military installation needs. States that, effective May 13, 2005, the list of recommendations for 2005 base closures and realignments submitted by the Secretary pursuant to such Act shall have no further force and effect.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
States that if a member of the Armed Forces or reserves dies either on active duty or while in active service, any child of such member who is enrolled in a Federal child care program shall be eligible to continue receiving services under such program for 24 months following such member's death.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Pledge Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal judicial code to deny jurisdiction to any Federal court, and appellate jurisdiction to the Supreme Court, to hear or decide any question pertaining to the interpretation of the Pledge of Allegiance or its validity under the Constitution. Makes this limitation inapplicable to: (1) any court established by Congress under its power to make needful rules and regulations respecting the territory of the United States; or (2) the Superior Court of the District of Columbia or the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2005
Code Talkers Recognition Act - Requires the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of commemorative medals of appropriate design to Sioux, Comanche, Choctaw, Sac and Fox, and any other Native American Code Talkers during World War I, World War II, and any other foreign conflict in which the United States was involved during the 20th Century in recognition of their contributions to the United States. Allows the posthumous award of a medal authorized by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2005
Supporting Our Patriotic Businesses Act of 2005 - Authorizes appropriations for the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Veteran Business Development. Amends the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 to permanently extend the authority and duties of the SBA's Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs. Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to exempt service members called to active duty from professional or occupational continuing education requirements while they are called up, or within the 120-day period after active duty release. Amends the Small Business Act to allow small businesses owned by veterans and service-disabled veterans to extend their SBA program participation time limitations by the length of time of active duty. Requires the Secretary of each military department to take measures to counsel Guard and Reserve members about the importance of timely notifying their employers after they receive active duty orders (other than training).
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
Veterans Road to Health Care Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay the travel expenses of a veteran whose travel is in connection with treatment or care for a non-service-connected disability at a non-Department of Veterans Affairs facility if the treatment or care: (1) is provided upon the recommendation of Department medical personnel; and (2) is not available at the Department facility at which the recommendation is made. Requires the Secretary, in calculating travel expenses under the Veterans Beneficiary Travel Program, to utilize the current Federal mileage reimbursement rates for the use on official business of privately owned vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2005
Jobs Protection and Estate Tax Reform Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to accelerate the repeal of the tax on estates and generation-skipping transfers to January 1, 2005, and to make such repeal permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2005
Jetseta Gage Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2005 - Rewrites provisions of the federal criminal code regarding penalties for crimes against children to require a person convicted of a federal crime of violence against an individual under age 15 to be sentenced to: (1) death or life imprisonment if the crime results in the death of the victim; (2) life or at least 30 years imprisonment if the crime is a kidnaping, sexual assault, or maiming or results in serious bodily injury; (3) life or at least 14 years imprisonment if the crime results in bodily injury to a person under age 12; (4) life or at least ten years imprisonment if a dangerous weapon was used during and in relation to the crime; and (5) life or at least two years imprisonment in any other case. Increases penalties for sexual abuse of children, sexual exploitation and other abuse of children, and conduct relating to child prostitution. Christy Ann Fornoff Act - Denies a court, justice, or judge jurisdiction to consider claims relating to the judgment or sentence in an application for writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a state court for a crime that involved the killing of a person under age 18. Sets timetables for proceedings. Extends certain rights associated with habeas corpus proceedings to victims of the state offense at issue. Makes this Act applicable to pending cases.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2005
Clean Energy Bonds Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow holders of clean energy bonds a nonrefundable tax credit of 25 percent of an annual credit amount as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. Defines "clean energy bond" as any bond issued by a clean energy bond lender, a cooperative electric company, a governmental body, or the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that is used for capital expenditures for specified projects for producing electricity from certain renewable resources, such as wind, biomass, solar energy, small irrigation power, and municipal solid waste. Sets forth rules for maturity limitations, arbitrage, and expenditures, including a requirement that 95 percent of proceeds from the sale of a bond issue be spent on a renewable resource project within five years from the date of a bond issuance. Terminates the authority to issue clean energy bonds after 2008.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2005
Veterans' Health Care and Equitable Access Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make specified funds available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) for Veterans Health Administration FY 2007 programs. Prohibits fund use for: (1) construction, acquisition, or alteration of veterans' medical facilities (other than for certain repairs); or (2) grants for the construction of State home facilities for veterans' domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care. Directs the Secretary to conduct a pilot program to improve health care access for rural veterans. Provides: (1) for travel reimbursement for veterans receiving treatment in VA facilities at the same as for Federal employees on official business; (2) that the disability rating for a veteran who loses a limb as a result of a service-connected injury shall be at least 50 percent; and (3) that if a member of the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve dies while on active service or active status such individual's child enrolled in any Federal child care program shall continue receiving such services for 24 months after such death. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a Medicare subvention project under which HHS shall reimburse the VA for Medicare health care services furnished to Medicare-eligible veterans in VA facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2005
Railroad Competition Act of 2005 - Amends Federal transportation law to specify the primary objectives of U.S. rail transportation policy. Requires a rail carrier, upon shipper request, to establish a rate for transportation and provide requested service between any two points on the carrier's system where traffic originates, terminates, or may reasonably be interchanged. Specifies matters the carrier must disregard when establishing such rate. Prohibits the Surface Transportation Board (STB) from issuing a certificate authorizing construction and operation of railroad lines, or exempt from such certificate requirement any related activity, that involves a transfer of interest in a line of railroad, from a Class I rail carrier to a Class II or III rail carrier, if the activity directly or indirectly would result in a restriction of: (1) the ability of the Class II or Class III rail carrier to interchange traffic with other carriers; or (2) competition between or among rail carriers in the region affected by the activity in a manner or to an extent that would violate Federal antitrust laws. Prescribes a procedure for shipper petition and STB review of any activity alleged to have resulted in a restriction of competition for at least ten years. Changes from discretionary to mandatory the authority of the STB to require rail carriers to enter into reciprocal switching agreements. Prohibits the STB from requiring evidence of anticompetitive conduct by a rail carrier from which access is sought. Requires the STB to designate any State or part of a State as an area of inadequate rail competition after making certain findings. Requires the STB to post rail service complaints on its website. Requires submission to arbitration of certain rail rate, service, and other disputes. Requires the STB, with respect to the filing of a complaint, to adopt an alternative method of determining the reasonableness of rail rates using the railroad's actual costs. Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish within the Department of Agriculture an Office of Rail Customer Advocacy with respect to rail transportation of agricultural and forestry commodities or products. Amends the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to make mandatory the Secretary's authority to provide direct loans and loan guarantees to State and local governments, approved agreements or interstate compacts, sponsored authorities and corporations, railroads, and joint ventures that include at least one railroad for railroad rehabilitation and improvement projects.
![Official portrait of Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000250_200.jpg)