United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
National Fish Habitat Conservation Act - Establishes a National Fish Habitat Board to promote, oversee, and coordinate the implementation of this Act and the existing National Fish Habitat Action Plan and to review and recommend fish habitat conservation projects. Authorizes the Board to designate Fish Habitat Conservation Partnerships to coordinate Plan implementation at a regional level and develop and carry out fish habitat conservation projects. Sets forth Partnership approval criteria, including that a Partnership: (1) have representatives of a diverse group of public and private partners that are focused on conservation of aquatic habitats to achieve results across jurisdictional boundaries and public and private lands; and (2) is able to address issues and priorities at a nationally significant scale. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to fund, from amounts appropriated under this Act, up to 50% of the cost of approved fish habitat conservation projects. Requires the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to: (1) create the National Fish Habitat Conservation Partnership Office within such Service; and (2) develop the Office's interagency operational plan and its technical and scientific assistance program. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into a cooperative agreement or contract with a Partnership for fish habitat conservation, restoration, and enhancement projects; and (2) enter into an agreement with a charitable organization to solicit private donations to carry out the this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Urges the President, the U.N. Secretary-General, the African Union, and members of the international community to pursue a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Condemns: (1) the government of Sudan for its continued obstruction of the deployment of United Nations-African Union peacekeepers; and (2) the ongoing acts of violence in, and obstruction of aid to, Darfur committed by all parties. Calls upon the government of Sudan and armed parties in the region to declare a cessation of hostilities, abide by the U.N. arms embargo, cease attacks upon humanitarian organizations, and participate in international efforts to negotiate a political settlement.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
General Services Administration Portfolio Enhancement Act of 2008 - Directs the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to convey to the National Women's History Museum, Inc. (the Museum) the northern part of specified property in the District of Columbia, which the Administrator and the Museum deem appropriate for a museum facility. Grants the Administrator the authority to convey the southern part of such property to the Museum. Requires the Administrator to enter into an agreement with the Museum for the conveyance. Permits separate conveyance of the northern and southern parts. Requires the northern part to be dedicated for use as a site for a national women's history museum for a 99-year period and allows the southern part to be used for any purposes permitted by applicable laws and regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Vision Preservation Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to expand and intensify programs to increase awareness of vision problems. Directs the Secretary to expand and intensify: (1) activities to establish a solid scientific base of knowledge on the prevention, control, and rehabilitation of vision problems and related disabilities; (2) research within CDC on the prevention and management of vision loss; and (3) programs targeted to prevent vision loss, treat eye and vision conditions, and rehabilitate people of all ages who are blind or partially sighted in underserved and minority communities. Amends title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) of the Social Security Act to authorize appropriations to enable the Secretary to introduce core performance measures on eye health by incorporating vision screening and examination standards into state programs. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to eligible institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations for vision rehabilitation professional development.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools Act of 2008, or the Josh Miller HEARTS Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for use in their schools; and/or (2) provide training to meet the grant requirement that at least five adult employees or volunteers at each school where an AED is to be used successfully complete training in its use and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Requires LEA grant applicants also to demonstrate that: (1) the AEDs are integrated into the schools' emergency response procedures; and (2) emergency services personnel are notified of their locations. Gives grant priority to schools that: (1) lack an AED; (2) typically have a significant number of students, staff, and visitors present during the day; (3) generally have a longer wait for emergency medical services than other public facilities in the community; and (4) have not received funds under the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2008
Support for Vulnerable and Displaced Iraqis Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive regional strategy to address the mass displacement of Iraqis inside Iraq and as refugees into neighboring countries. Requires that such strategy: (1) address the challenges facing Iraqi refugees; (2) address the government of Iraq's responsibility to help meet the humanitarian needs of its citizens in Iraq and the region and related U.S. support; (3) assess the needs of vulnerable Iraqis in Iraq, especially internally displaced persons and Iraqi refugees in the region; (4) include the number of refugees from Iraq that the United States plans to resettle in the United States; (5) describe U.S. government steps to engage the international community and the government of Iraq in implementing such strategy; and (6) include plans to assess the strategy's impact.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2008
Extends, through November 1, 2018, the exemption from the requirement that certain vessels operating within the Boundary Line be constructed of fire-retardant materials.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2008
Amends the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act to increase the amount authorized to be appropriated for FY2010 and to authorize appropriations for FY2011-FY2015.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2008
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States: (1) should seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Darfur, Sudan; and (2) supports U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1556 and 1591 imposing an arms embargo on all belligerents in Darfur.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2008
CAIR Reinstatement Act of 2008 - Directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and the rule establishing Federal Implementation Plans for CAIR. Declares that nothing in this Act shall change or modify the authority or obligations set forth in the Clean Air Act.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2008
Recognizes September 11, 2008, as a day of solemn commemoration of the events of September 11, 2001. Offers condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the innocent victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Honors the heroic service, actions, and sacrifices of first responders, law enforcement personnel, state and local officials, volunteers, and others who aided the victims and, in doing so, risked and often gave their own lives. Recognizes the service, actions, and sacrifices of U.S. personnel who have given so much to support our freedom and defend our security. Reaffirms that the people of the United States will never forget the challenges our country endured on and since September 11, 2001, and will work to defeat those who attacked us.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2008
Congratulates the Ohio State University football team for achieving 800 victories in its 119 year history. Recognizes that university's athletic program for its accomplishments in both sports and academics.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2008
Declares that the Senate mourns the loss of the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Expresses its condolences to her family and friends and to the people of the 11th Congressional District of Ohio. Honors her life as a highly esteemed and accomplished Member of Congress, dedicated community leader, and tireless advocate for those in need.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2008
Foreign Service Overseas Pay Equity Act of 2008 - Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to: (1) extend comparability pay adjustments to Foreign Service members assigned abroad; and (2) amend the death gratuity computation payable to surviving dependents of Foreign Service employees who die from injuries sustained in the performance of duty abroad.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2008
Commercial Motor Vehicle Advanced Safety Technology Tax Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a general business tax credit for 50% of the cost of placing in service any qualified commercial vehicle advanced safety system. Defines "qualified commercial vehicle advanced safety system" as a manufacturer-certified brake stroke monitoring system, lane departure warning system, collision warning system, or vehicle stability system identified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as significantly enhancing the safety or security of commercial drivers, vehicles, or passengers. Terminates such credit after 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2008
Clean Water Affordability Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make grants to states for the purpose of providing grants to municipalities for use in planning, designing, and constructing treatment works to intercept, transport, control, or treat municipal combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows and municipalities for such purposes. Requires states or the Administrator to give priority to financially distressed communities. Requires the Administrator, no later than December 31, 2010, (currently, 2003) and periodically thereafter, to report to Congress on recommended funding levels for sewer overflow control grants. Requires the Administrator to update the guidance entitled "Combined Sewer Overflows -- Guidance for Financial Capability Assessment and Schedule Development" dated February 1997, to ensure that the evaluations by the Administrator of financial capability assessment and schedule development meet specified criteria, including criteria used in assessing financial capability of a community to make investments necessary to make water quality-related improvements and in implementing water quality-related improvements. Requires such updated guidance to indicate that it is appropriate for the reconsideration and modification of financial capability determinations and implementation schedules to be based on such criteria.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2008
Iraq Security Agreement Act of 2008 - Directs the President to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees respecting U.S. security commitments to, and arrangements with, other countries. Directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense to consult with the appropriate congressional committees respecting negotiations pursuant to the Declaration of Principles between the United States and Iraq. Prohibits any agreement (or the obligation of implementing funds) containing a security commitment to, or security arrangement with, the Republic of Iraq, from entering into force except pursuant to Article II, section 2, clause 2 (relating to treaties) or Article I, section 7, clause 2 (relating to enactment of laws) of the Constitution of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2008
Honors the men and women of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary. Acknowledges the value of NASA's discoveries and accomplishments. Pledges to maintain America's position as the world leader in earth and space science, aeronautics, and space exploration and technology.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2008
ADA Amendments Act of 2008 - Amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) to redefine the term "disability," including by defining "major life activities" and "being regarded as having such an impairment." Sets forth rules of construction regarding the definition of "disability," including that: (1) such term shall be construed in favor of broad coverage of individuals under the Act; (2) an impairment that substantially limits one major life activity need not limit other major life activities in order to be a disability; (3) an impairment that is episodic or in remission is a disability if it would substantially limit a major life activity when active; and (4) the determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity shall be made without regard to the ameliorative effects of specified mitigating measures. Prohibits employment discrimination against a qualified individual on the basis of disability. (Current law prohibits employment discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability because of the disability.) Prohibits the use of qualification standards, employment tests, or other selection criteria based on an individual's uncorrected vision unless the standard, test, or other selection criteria, as used by the covered entity, is shown to be related to the position and is consistent with business necessity. Declares that nothing in the Act: (1) alters the standards for determining eligibility for benefits under state worker's compensation laws or under state and federal disability benefit programs; (2) alters the requirement to make reasonable modifications in policies or procedures, unless such modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, facilities, or accommodations involved; or (3) provides the basis for a claim by an individual without a disability that the individual was subject to discrimination because of the individual's lack of disability. Declares that the authority of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations includes the authority to issue regulations implementing the definitions of this Act. Makes conforming amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2008
Information Technology Investment Oversight Enhancement and Waste Prevention Act of 2008 - Revises the requirement that each head of an executive agency identify, in strategic information resources management plans, any major information acquisition programs (or phase or increment) that have significantly deviated from the cost, performance, or schedule goals established for the program. Requires each federal agency head primarily responsible for the information technology (IT) investment project under review, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to jointly designate at least five of the agency's most mission critical IT investment projects (or fewer, under certain circumstances) as core IT investment projects or core projects, after considering specified criteria. Requires the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the federal agency primarily responsible for the IT investment project under review, after receiving a quarterly report from the project manager, to determine if the project has significantly deviated, in cost, schedule, or performance variance, at least 20% from the Original Baseline. Requires a report of any significant deviation to the appropriate congressional committees and to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Requires the agency's CIO, similarly, to: (1) determine if the project has grossly deviated, in cost, schedule, or performance variance, at least 40% from the Original Baseline; and (2) report such a deviation to the appropriate congressional committees and GAO if the agency head does not. Specifies remedial actions in the event of a gross deviation. Requires each agency head to establish a program meeting specified requirements to improve the agency's IT processes. Requires the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government and Information and Technology at OMB (the E-Gov Administrator) to establish a small group of individuals (IT Strike Force) to assist agencies in avoiding significant and gross deviations in the cost, schedule, and performance of IT investment projects. Requires the E-Gov Administrator to carry out certain activities upon determining that there is reasonable cause to believe that a major IT investment project is likely to significantly or grossly deviate, including the receipt of inconsistent or missing data.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2008
Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely Redress Act of 2008 or the FAST Redress Act of 2008 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish: (1) a timely and fair appeal and redress process for individuals delayed or prohibited from boarding a commercial aircraft because they were wrongly identified as a threat when screened against any terrorist watchlist or database used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or any Department of Homeland Security (DHS) component; and (2) an Office of Appeals and Redress within DHS to implement the process. Requires the process to include the establishment of a method for maintaining and disseminating a Comprehensive Cleared List of individuals who: (1) were misidentified; (2) complete an appeal and redress request approved by DHS and provided required additional information; and (3) permit their personally identifiable information to be shared among multiple DHS components for purposes of this Act. Directs the Secretary to: (1) transmit the List and any other information necessary to resolve misidentifications, improve administration of the advanced passenger prescreening system, and reduce false positives to TSA, other governmental and tribal entities, and air carriers that use any terrorist watchlist or database; and (2) ensure that the List is considered by all DHS components assessing an individual's security risk. Terminates transmission of the List to air carriers when the government assumes terrorist watchlist screening functions. Directs the Secretary to require that DHS employees complete mandatory privacy and security training before being authorized to handle personally identifiable information. Requires the Office to ensure that a TSA supervisor trained in the appeal and redress process is available at each airport at which DHS has a significant presence.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2008
Libyan Claims Resolution Act - States that Congress supports the President's efforts to provide fair compensation to all U.S. nationals who have terrorism-related claims against Libya as part of the process of restoring normal U.S.-Libya relations. Defines "claims agreement" as a binding international agreement between the United States and Libya that provides for the settlement of terrorism-related claims of U.S. nationals against Libya through fair compensation Authorizes the Secretary of State, after consultation with the appropriate congressional committees, to designate one or more entities to assist in providing compensation to U.S. nationals pursuant to a claims agreement. States that: (1) upon such designation property that relates to the claims agreement and that is held by or transferred to or from a designated entity shall be immune from attachment or any other judicial process; (2) such entity and any person acting through or on its behalf shall not be liable in any federal or state court for any action taken to implement a claims agreement; and (3) such entity shall not be subject to the Government Corporation Control Act. Exempts Libya (and related instrumentalities and individuals) from specified property liens and attachments, limitations on foreign jurisdictional immunity, and private rights of action if the Secretary certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the U.S. government has received sufficient funds pursuant to the claims agreement to ensure: (1) payment of specified settlements to the Pan Am 103 victims’ families, the LaBelle Disco bombing victims, and other relevant terrorism cases; and (2) fair compensation of specified claims by U.S. nationals against Libya for wrongful death or physical injury in cases pending on the date of enactment of this Act. (Applies such provisions only to conduct or events occurring before June 30, 2006.) States that the designation and certification authorities under this Act: (1) are within the Secretary's sole discretion and may not be delegated; and (2) are not subject to judicial review.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2008
National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins emblematic of the courage, pride, sacrifice, sense of duty, and history of the U.S. Infantry, in commemoration of the legacy of the U.S. Army Infantry and the establishment of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. Expresses the sense of Congress that the coins should be struck at the U.S. Mint at West Point, New York, to the greatest extent possible. Restricts coin issuance to calendar year 2012. Requires a $10 surcharge per coin, and payment of all surcharges received to the National Infantry Foundation to establish an endowment to support the maintenance of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2008
Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 (FFAMIA) to repeal its termination date (thus extending it indefinitely). Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish and maintain a public website that serves as a central point of information and access for federal grant applicants, including grant: (1) announcements; (2) statements of eligibility; (3) application requirements; (4) purposes; (5) federal agency providers; and (6) deadlines for applying and awarding. Requires the website to allow grant applicants to apply for grants on it, among other uses. Amends the Act to require OMB to report to Congress on: (1) the implementation of FFAMIA; and (2) a strategic plan specifying federal financial assistance progams suitable for common applications and reporting forms or requirements, changes in law (if any) needed to achieve the goals of this Act, and plans, timeliness, and cost estimates for developing an entirely electronic, web-based process for managing federal financial assistance. Requires the head of each federal agency that has not been exempted from FFAMIA to develop a plan that describes how it will carry out its responsibilities under the strategic plan.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2008
Designates August 16, 2008, as National Airborne Day (to recognize the airborne forces of the U.S. Armed Forces). Calls on the people of the United States to observe National Airborne Day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2008
Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008 - Amends federal copyright law to: (1) authorize, in lieu of a criminal action, civil copyright enforcement by the Attorney General; (2) provide that copyright registration requirements apply to civil (not criminal) infringement actions; and (3) provide a safe harbor for copyright registrations that contain inaccurate information. Amends the Trademark Act to: (1) revise treble damages provisions and double statutory damages in counterfeiting cases; and (2) prohibit the transshipment and exportation of goods bearing infringing marks. Prohibits the importation (current law), transshipment, or exportation, without the authority of the owner of copyright, of copies or phonorecords. Revises civil and criminal forfeiture provisions, including under the Economic Espionage Act. Directs the President to appoint an Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator who shall: (1) chair the interagency intellectual property enforcement advisory committee established by this Act; and (2) coordinate the development, and assist in the implementation, of the Joint Strategic Plan against counterfeiting and piracy by such advisory committee. Amends the Computer Crime Enforcement Act to allow existing grants to combat computer crime to be used for activities relating to infringement of copyrighted works over the Internet. Requires the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants for training, prevention, enforcement, and prosecution of intellectual property theft and infringement crimes. Requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to: (1) create an operational unit to work with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property section of the DOJ on the investigation and coordination of complex intellectual property crimes; and (2) implement a comprehensive intellectual property crime program. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) create a task force to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to investigate and prosecute international organized crime syndicates engaging in crimes relating to intellectual property theft; and (2) subject to appropriations, deploy five additional Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordinators in foreign countries.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2008
Grants congressional consent to and approval of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact as set forth in this resolution's preamble. Declares that current laws provide protection sufficient to prevent Great Lakes diversions until a Great Lakes water compact is ratified and enforceable.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2008
Honors and commemorates the selfless acts of heroism displayed by the late Private First Class Jacob Joseph Chestnut and Detective John Michael Gibson of the U.S. Capitol Police on July 24, 1998. Expresses: (1) the condolences of the Senate to the wives, children, and other family members of Private First Class Chestnut and Detective Gibson on the 10-year anniversary of their passing; (2) gratitude and appreciation for the professional manner in which the U.S. Capitol Police carry out their diverse missions; and (3) appreciation for the dedication U.S. Capitol Police officers have for protecting the Capitol Complex. Commends the U.S. Capitol Police for their continued courage and professionalism in protecting the Capitol Complex and its employees and visitors.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2008
Dayton Aviation National Historical Park Expansion Act - Amends the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992 to provide for the acquisition and inclusion of the following additional sites in the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park: (1) Hawthorn Hill, Oakwood, Ohio; and (2) the Wright Company factory and associated land and buildings, Dayton, Ohio. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement with one or more partners, including the Wright Family Foundation, to operate and provide programming for Hawthorn Hill and charge reasonable fees to defray park operation and programming costs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2008
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) restore the unified credit against the estate and gift tax after 2009; (2) establish the amount of such credit at $3.5 million adjusted for inflation in calendar years after 2010; and (3) reduce the maximum estate and gift tax rate to 45%. Expresses the sense of the Senate that any reduction in federal revenues resulting from this Act should be fully offset.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2008
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., former Senator from North Carolina. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on July 7, 2008, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Helms.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2008
Title VII Fairness Act - Amends the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and title VII (Equal Employment Opportunities) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to delay the start of the time period for filing charges of employment discrimination until the aggrieved person has, or should be expected to have, enough information to support a reasonable suspicion of the discrimination, provided the aggrieved person demonstrates that the person did not have, and should not have been expected to have, enough information to support a reasonable suspicion of such discrimination on the date on which the alleged discrimination occurred. Prohibits applying these amendments to alleged discrimination relating to pensions or pension benefits. Applies the above Civil Rights Act of 1964 amendment to discrimination claims brought under: (1) specified provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and (2) provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 relating to employment by the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2008
Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to prescribe procedures for petition, by the governor of a state with a new producing area within the offshore administrative boundaries beyond the state's submerged land, to make the new producing area available for oil and gas leasing. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit specified percentages of outer Continental Shelf revenues into: (1) the general fund of the Treasury; and (2) into a special account in the Treasury for disbursal to both new producing states and to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, to repeal the prohibition against funding: (1) regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale resources on public lands; or (2) an oil shale lease sale. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) expand and accelerate research and development efforts for advanced batteries; and (2) implement a direct loan program for up to 30% of the costs of advanced battery production. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the federal government should implement policies to increase federal purchases of plug-in electric drive vehicles. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to study jointly and report to Congress on the international regime for regulating trading in energy commodity futures and derivatives. Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to prohibit the CFTC from permitting a foreign board of trade to provide to participants subject to CFTC jurisdiction direct access to electronic trading and order matching unless specified requirements are met. Directs the CFTC to: (1) promulgate rules for routine reporting requirements for index traders and swap dealers in energy and agricultural transactions; and (2) disaggregate and make public monthly information on the positions and value of index funds and other passive, long-only positions in the energy and agricultural futures markets. Instructs the CFTC to report to certain congressional committees on: (1) the scope of commodity index trading in the futures markets; (2) whether classification of index traders and swap dealers in the futures markets can be improved for regulatory and reporting purposes; and (3) whether index trading activity is adversely impacting the price discovery process in the futures markets and whether different practices and controls should be required. Instructs the CFTC to hire additional employees.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2008
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Amendments Act of 2008 - Amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to: (1) require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to establish criteria for determining which states should serve on the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia and to implement a nominations process to select representatives for such Task Force; and (2) require the Task Force's scientific assessments of hypoxia and harmful algal blooms (hypoxia) once (currently, every five years). Requires: (1) the President, acting through the Task Force, to establish a national program to integrate efforts to address hypoxia research, monitoring, prediction, control, mitigation, prevention, and outreach; (2) the Task Force to be the oversight body for the development and implementation of the National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program; and (3) NOAA to be the lead federal agency for implementing and administering such Program. Sets forth the Program's responsibilities and duties, including: (1) promoting a national strategy to help communities understand, detect, predict, control, and mitigate freshwater and marine hypoxia events; (2) maintaining and enhancing the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms Program, the Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms Program, the Northern Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems and Hypoxia Assessment Program, and the Coastal Hypoxia Research Program; and (3) establishing a Mitigation and Control of Harmful Algal Bloom Program. Requires the national hypoxia program to: (1) oversee the development and implementation of Regional Research and Action Plans and identify regions and sub-regions to be addressed by each Plan; and (2) convene regional panels of experts. Requires each panel to develop a Plan that identifies appropriate elements for the region, including: (1) priorities for ecological and socioeconomic research on issues related to, and impacts of, hypoxia; and (2) state and local government actions that may be implemented to monitor, minimize, reduce, and address hypoxia. Requires the Task Force to report to specified congressional committees not less than every five years on hypoxia. Requires: (1) the Secretary, acting through NOAA, to establish a collaborative pilot program with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies to examine hypoxia occurring in freshwater systems; and (2) such program to be located in the Mississippi River Basin watershed.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2008
Manufacturing, Assembling, Development, and Export in the USA Tax Act or the MADE in the USA Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) phase in a reduction in the maximum corporate income tax rate from 35 to 28% between 2009 and 2013; (2) increase the deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities and limit such deduction to business entities other than C corporations; (3) make permanent the increased expensing allowance for depreciable business property; (4) repeal certain limitations on the exclusion for the housing expenses of U.S. citizens working abroad; (5) include all foreign-source royalties in passive category income in applying the foreign tax credit limitation; (6) apply the foreign tax credit limitation separately to financial services income; (7) treat certain foreign corporations that are managed and controlled primarily within the United States as domestic corporations for tax purposes; (8) treat certain foreign entities with single owners as corporations; (9) prohibit any reduction of tax withholding for payments made by a U.S. subsidiary of a foreign parent corporation to a related subsidiary in any country that has a tax treaty with the United States, except for payments made directly to the foreign parent corporation; (10) repeal special source rules for inventory property; (11) impose a fair market value standard for determining foreign oil and gas extraction income; (12) modify the limitation on excess interest deductions of certain corporations; (13) require the inclusion in gross income for income tax purposes of employee compensation deferred under a nonqualified deferred compensation plan of a nonqualified foreign entity when there is no substantial risk of forfeiture of the rights to such compensation; (14) deny the refundable portion of the child tax credit to taxpayers living or residing outside the United States; (15) repeal certain inventory accounting methods; (16) repeal the percentage depletion allowance after 2008; (17) extend the amortization period for intangible property (e.g., goodwill) from 15 to 20 years; (18) set forth rules for the application of the economic substance doctrine to financial transactions affecting tax liability; (19) impose penalties for understatement of tax attributable to transactions lacking economic substance; and (20) extend the 6.2% federal unemployment tax rate through 2018. Repeals the 3% withholding requirement applicable to payments by governmental entities to vendors of goods and services. Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) to revise and make permanent certain provisions relating to fees for certain customs services.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2008
Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Acquisition Reform Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to delay generally until after 2011 full implementation of the Medicare competitive acquisition program for the purchase of durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS). Revises such program, dividing its implementation into two rounds, and specifying covered item updates for 2009-2014. Prescribes requirements for application of accreditation in implementing quality standards. Requires suppliers to disclose subcontractors. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for a competitive acquisition ombudsman within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to respond to complaints and inquiries by suppliers and individuals. Specifies topics for the Comptroller General's required study and report to Congress on the impact of competitive acquisition of DME on suppliers, manufacturers, and patients. Sets forth a special rule for the competitive acquisition program for diabetic testing strips.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2008
Life at Conception Act - Declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being beginning at the moment of fertilization, cloning, and other moment at which an individual comes into being.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2008
Congratulates the people of Latvia on the 90th anniversary of Latvia's November 18, 1918, declaration of independence. Commends the government of Latvia for its success in implementing political and economic reforms, for establishing political, religious and economic freedom, and for its commitment to human and civil rights. Calls on the President and the Secretary of State to urge the government of the Russian Federation to acknowledge that the Soviet occupation of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and for the succeeding 51 years was illegal.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2008
Honors the courage and humanity of Dr. Feng Shan Ho for acting at great personal risk to issue Chinese visas to Jews in Vienna between 1938 and 1940. Recognizes his heroic deeds in saving the lives of thousands of Jewish persons by allowing them to escape the Holocaust.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2008
Declares that: (1) preventing the government of Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability through economic, political, and diplomatic means is vital to U.S. national security; and (2) nothing in this resolution authorizes the use of force against Iran. Urges the President to use his authority to impose sanctions on: (1) Iranian banks engaged in proliferation activities or the support of terrorist groups; (2) international banks which conduct financial transactions with sanctioned Iranian banks; (3) energy companies with large investments in the Iranian petroleum or natural gas sector; and (4) all companies which do business with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Demands that the President lead an international effort to increase pressure on Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities, including by banning the importation of refined petroleum products to Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Boy Scouts of America 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 Boy Scouts of America. Requires the coin design to be emblematic of the 100 years of the organization. Restricts issuance of such coins to February 8 through December 31, 2010. Subjects coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin. Requires payment of such surcharges to the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation, to be made available to local councils in the form of grants for the extension of Scouting in hard-to-serve areas.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Designates August 2008 as Digital Television Transition Awareness Month to increase public awareness and encourage consumers to learn about the government coupon program for obtaining converter boxes. Encourages consumers to make the transition well before the conversion date (February 17, 2009). Encourages local nonprofit organizations to assist households in applying for the coupons and installing converter boxes and to educate consumers about websites and other sources of transition information.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2008
Improved Adoption Incentives and Relative Guardianship Support Act of 2008 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) extend the adoption incentives program through FY2012; (2) increase the incentive payment to a state for exceeding the highest ever foster child adoption rate; (3) increase incentive payments for special needs adoptions and older child adoptions; (4) revise requirements for the adoption assistance program to promote the adoption of children with special needs; and (5) give states the option to provide for relative guardianship assistance payments for children. Amends SSA title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) to authorize comparisons and disclosures of information in the Federal Parent Locator Service for child welfare, foster care, and adoption assistance program purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2008
Declares that the Senate: (1) honors Lyndon B. Johnson for bringing about the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965; (2) extols his contributions to the United States; and (3) commends him for establishing the Medicare Act of 1965. Recognizes the 100th birthday of Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th president and designer of the Great Society.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2008
Congratulates Albania and Croatia on being invited by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to begin accession talks. Supports: (1) the invitations to initiate an Intensified Dialogue between NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia; (2) the aspirations of Ukraine and Georgia to become integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community; and (3) the enlargement of NATO, and the NATO declaration at the Bucharest Summit that NATO should remain open to European democracies able to assume membership responsibilities. Affirms that any decision about NATO membership will be made through member consensus and that no country outside of NATO has a vote or veto with respect to such decisions.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2008
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prohibit the sale in the United States of residential dishwashing detergent that contains phosphorus in any form in excess of 0.5% (by weight expressed as elemental phosphorus) beginning July 1, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2008
Recognizes the leadership of the nation's governors. Honors their contributions to American politics and society. Commemorates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Governors Association.
![Official portrait of Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/v000126_200.jpg)