United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2011
Equal Access and Parity for Multi-Campus Hospitals Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), with respect to payments to hospitals for inpatient hospital services, to prescribe a special rule for applying Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments, at the election of a qualified main hospital, to its remote inpatient locations. Prohibits administrative or judicial review of: (1) the methodology and standards for determining a remote inpatient location, a qualified remote inpatient location, a component facility, a qualified component facility, a main provider, and a qualified main provider, and which such locations, facilities, and providers are qualified; and (2) the methodology and standards for the election in connection with such special rule. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to set forth a special rule for applying Medicaid EHR incentive payments, at the election of a qualified main hospital, to its remote locations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2011
Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Savings Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend coverage to lymphedema diagnosis and treatment services. including lymphedema compression treatment items.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2011
Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) establish the National Pulmonary Fibrosis Advisory Board, (2) develop a system to collect data on pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial lung diseases, and (3) establish the National PF Registry. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in developing the Registry, to: (1) expand and coordinate existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other federal public health and environmental infrastructure; and (2) provide for research access to pulmonary fibrosis data. Directs the Secretary to ensure that epidemiological and other types of information are made available to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires the Director of CDC to prepare the National Pulmonary Fibrosis Education and Awareness Plan, which shall: (1) focus on strategies to increase public education and awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, (2) address the need for new physician education strategies to improve diagnosis and treatment standards, and (3) assess and monitor the costs of pulmonary fibrosis and its burden on patients and families. Encourages the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to expand, intensify, and coordinate Institute pulmonary fibrosis research activities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2011
Former Soviet Union State Pension Fairness Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of State and the Commissioner of Social Security to continue to work with the governments of the states of the former Soviet Union to encourage them to adopt policies that would allow receipt of pensions for individuals who worked in any such state and earned a pension and currently reside in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2011
Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act of 2011 - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit any person from knowingly attending an animal fighting venture or causing a minor (a person under the age of 18) to attend such a venture. Subjects any person who: (1) knowingly attends such venture to a fine and/or imprisonment for up to a year for each violation, and (2) causes a minor to attend such venture to a fine and/or imprisonment for up to three years for each violation.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2011
Reducing the Deficit through Eliminating Agriculture Direct Payment Subsidies Act of 2011 or REAPS Act of 2011 - Amends the the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to terminate direct payments for covered commodities and peanuts. Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to limit to $65,000 per crop year: (1) average crop revenue election (ACRE) and counter-cyclical payments for one or more covered commodities, and (2) ACRE payments for peanuts. Applies such provisions to the 2012 crop year.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2011
Tax Equity and Middle Class Fairness Act of 2011 - Repeals or revises tax expenditure provisions in the Internal Revenue Code relating to: (1) the production of oil and gas; (2) the production and development of coal resources; (3) individuals, including a phase-out of health savings and Archer medical savings accounts; (4) business taxpayers, including the elimination of certain expensing allowances and the repeal of capital gain treatment for the sale of timber; and (5) certain international tax preferences.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2011
End Discriminatory State Taxes for Automobile Renters Act of 2011 - Prohibits states or local governments from levying or collecting a discriminatory tax (generally, a tax or tax assessment that is applicable to the rental of motor vehicles or motor vehicle businesses or property, but not to the majority of other rentals of tangible personal property within a state or locality) on the rental of motor vehicles, motor vehicle rental businesses, or motor vehicle rental property.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2011
Families Beyond Bars Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to qualified organizations to carry out, directly or through subgrants to other entities, child-parent visitation programs that foster and develop familial ties between eligible children and their incarcerated parents.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2011
Expresses the sense of Congress that appropriate reform to strengthen Social Security's long-term outlook should happen in a bipartisan fashion and should ensure that Social Security remains a critical source of protection for the people of the United States and their families without further increasing the retirement age or otherwise decreasing benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2011
Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins emblematic of the life and legacy of Mark Twain. Limits issuance of such coins to calendar year 2016. Requires specified surcharges in the sale of such coins, which shall be promptly paid, in specified percentages, to: (1) the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, to support the continued restoration of the house and grounds, and ensure continuing growth and innovation in museum programming to research, promote, and educate on the legacy of Mark Twain; (2) the Mark Twain Project at the Bancroft Library of University of California, Berkeley, California, to support programs to study and promote Mark Twain's legacy; (3) the Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College, New York, for the same purposes; and (4) the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri, to preserve historical sites related to Mark Twain and help support study and promotion programs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2011
RESPA Home Warranty Clarification Act of 2011 - Amends the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (RESPA) to state that no prohibited kickback or unearned fee incident to a real estate settlement service involving a federally related mortgage loan shall be deemed to include, or be deemed to have included, homeowner warranties or similar residential service contracts for the repair or replacement of home system components or home appliances. Requires any person that pays another person not employed by the person for selling, advertising, marketing, or processing, or performing an inspection in connection with, a homeowner warranty or similar residential service contract for the repair or replacement of home system components or home appliances, to include a specified statement reflecting this Act in any such warranty or contract incident to a transaction involving the origination of a federally related mortgage loan.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2011
Authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to collectively honor the Montford Point Marines, U.S. Marine Corps, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. (Camp Montford Point, North Carolina, was the site for the training of the first African-American Marines.) Permits the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2011
Fresh Start Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to allow an individual convicted of a nonviolent criminal offense to file a petition for expungement of the record of such conviction. Allows expungement if such individual: (1) has never been convicted of any criminal offense other than the nonviolent offenses committed in a single criminal episode that includes the offense for which expungement is sought; (2) has fulfilled all requirements of the sentence of the court, including payment of all fines, restitution, or assessments and completion of terms of imprisonment and probation; and (3) has remained free (if required by the court's sentence) from dependency on or abuse of alcohol or a controlled substance for at least one year. Requires the Attorney General to maintain an unaltered nonpublic copy of expunged criminal records, to be disclosed for limited purposes to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to increase by 5% grant funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to states that implement expungement procedures substantially similar to the procedures enacted by this Act. Decreases such grant funding by 5% for states that fail to adopt expungement procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Religious and Parental Rights Defense Act of 2011 - Prohibits a state or a political subdivision from adopting or continuing in force a law, regulation, or order that prohibits or regulates the circumcision of males who have not attained the age of 18 years and whose parent or guardian has consented to the circumcision, unless such law, regulation, or order applies to all such circumcisions performed in the state and is limited to ensuring that all such circumcisions are performed in a hygienic manner.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to select up to six Indian tribes or consortia of Indian tribes to participate in an Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project that facilitates trade and financial investment in Indian tribal economies by private entities from Turkey. Allows participating tribes or consortia to lease land held in trust for them by the federal government without the Secretary's approval if the lease: (1) is in furtherance of a community, economic, or business development undertaking with a Turkish entity; (2) is entered into within 1 year of this Act's enactment; (3) is not for mineral exploration, development, or extraction; (4) does not include land held in trust for an individual Indian; (5) is executed under tribal regulations approved by the Secretary under this Act; and (6) has a term that does not exceed 25 years, though it may include certain renewal options. Requires the Secretary to approve tribal lease regulations if they are consistent with any regulations issued under this Act and subject proposed activities to an environmental review that meets specified requirements. Allows participating tribes or consortia to rely on federal environmental reviews if proposed actions are federally funded. Authorizes the Secretary, pursuant to federal trust obligations, to enforce the provisions of, or cancel, any lease executed by a participating Indian tribe or consortium under this Act. Absolves the federal government from liability for any loss sustained by a party to such a lease.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Rating and Processing Individuals' Disability Claims Act or the RAPID Claims Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), if a veteran's claim is submitted that is determined to be a fully developed claim, to provide: (1) the claimant with the opportunity to waive any claim development period with respect to such claim, and (2) expeditious treatment of such claim. Provides that: (1) if a person notifies the Secretary of the intention to submit a fully developed claim and does so within a one-year period thereafter, the Secretary shall provide expeditious treatment to the claim; and (2) if the Secretary determines that a claim submitted as fully developed is not fully developed, the Secretary shall notify such person within 30 days of the information and evidence required to fully develop the claim. Requires the Secretary, when denying a benefit, to notify the claimant of any form or application required to appeal such decision.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Authorizes the American Legion under its federal charter to provide guidance and leadership to the individual Departments and Posts. Prohibits it from controlling or otherwise influencing the specific activities and conduct of independent, autonomous Departments and Posts.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Put America to Work Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to make grants to states, local government units, and Indian tribes to create employment opportunities for unemployed and underemployed residents of distressed communities. Specifies grant uses, including funding of fast-track jobs for: (1) painting and repair of schools, community centers, and libraries; (2) restoration of abandoned and vacant properties; (3) expansion of emergency food programs to reduce hunger; (4) augmentation of staffing in Head Start and other early childhood education programs; and (5) renovation and maintenance of parks, playgrounds, and other public spaces. Requires grant recipients to use remaining grant funds to make grants to public entities, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, or small businesses to create employment opportunities in: (1) construction, rehabilitation, and improvements in energy efficiency of residences or public facilities; (2) the provision of human services; (3) remediation and demolition of vacant and abandoned properties; and (4) programs that provide opportunities for employment, education, and training for disadvantaged youth.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Internet Gambling Prohibition, Poker Consumer Protection, and Strengthening UIGEA Act of 2011 - Prohibits a person from (and requires a fine under the federal criminal code, imprisonment up to five years, or both) for operating an Internet gambling facility without a license in good standing issued by a state or tribal agency qualified by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). Makes such prohibition inapplicable to facilities operated by persons located outside the United States in which bets or wagers are made by individuals located outside the United States. Establishes the Office of Internet Poker Oversight in the Department of Commerce. Allows a licensee to accept an Internet poker bet or wager from U.S.-located individuals and offer related services so long as the license remains in good standing. Prohibits licensees from knowingly accepting bets or wagers by persons residing where a state or Indian tribe has notified the Secretary of specific gambling limitations. Sets forth exceptions concerning the applicability of state limitations on tribal lands. Establishes a 5-year term for initial licenses, subject to renewal and transfer requirements. Authorizes enforcement and disciplinary actions by the Secretary and the appropriate state or tribal agency. Sets forth civil penalties. Requires: (1) each qualified state and tribal agency to maintain a list and submit a current copy each week to the Secretary, who shall maintain a master list, of persons self-excluded from playing Internet poker through licensed Internet poker facilities; and (2) each licensee to implement a Compulsive Gaming, Responsible Gaming, and Self-Exclusion Program as a licensure condition. Precludes persons prohibited from gaming with a licensee by law, or by order of the Secretary, a qualified state or tribal agency, or any court of competent jurisdiction, including any person on the self-exclusion list, from collecting winnings or recovering losses arising from prohibited gaming activity. Requires court-ordered child support delinquents to be included on the self-exclusion list. Prohibits licensees, except as specified, from: (1) accepting bets or wagers on sporting events and games other than Internet poker, and (2) using credit cards for Internet gambling. Establishes a violation for operating a place of public accommodation for accessing Internet gambling facilities. Requires a fine under the federal criminal code, or imprisonment up to three years, or both, for certain rules of play violations, including using tools, electronic devices, or software to obtain a prohibited or unfair advantage or to defraud any licensee or persons placing bets or wagers with a licensee. Makes specified provisions of: (1) this Act and federal monetary transaction laws inapplicable to interstate off-track wagers under the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (IHA), and (2) the federal criminal code and financial transaction laws inapplicable to this Act and the IHA. Prohibits this Act from having any effect on: (1) state or tribal lottery rights, privileges, or obligations; or (2) non-Internet gaming activities within the scope of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act or any successor provisions, tribal-state compacts, or authorities. Amends the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 to prohibit holding a financial transaction provider (FTP) liable for a financial activity or transaction, including a payments processing activity, in connection with a bet or wager permitted by this Act or the IHA without actual knowledge of any applicable federal or state law violation. Shields such providers from liability for blocking or refusing to honor specified transactions. Requires the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to investigate unlicensed Internet gambling enterprises and provide the Secretary of the Treasury with a list of such enterprises updated at least every 60 days. Deems FTPs to have actual knowledge that persons or entities are unlicensed Internet gambling enterprises if they are included on such list or, under other specified circumstances, when information in addition to a list is available to an FTP demonstrating that a person or entity is such an enterprise.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act - Amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to prohibit a debt collector from bringing, or threatening to bring, legal action against any consumer on a debt in which the statute of limitations has expired. Requires a debt collector, in connection with the collection of debt in which the statute of limitations has expired, to disclose to the consumer that: (1) the debt has been transferred to the debt collector, (2) the creditor no longer holds the debt, (3) the debt collector may not bring legal action against the consumer to collect the debt because the statute of limitations has expired, and (4) any payment by the consumer towards the debt may cause the statute of limitations to reset.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Commends the government of Japan for extending an official apology to all U.S. former prisoners of war from the Pacific War and establishing a visitation program to Japan for surviving veterans, their families, and descendants. Appreciates the government of Japan's efforts toward historic apologies for the war crimes of Imperial Japan. Requests that the government of Japan: (1) continue its Japanese/American POW Friendship Program of reconciliation and remembrance and expand it to educate the public and its school children about the history of prisoners of war in Imperial Japan, and (2) respect the wishes and sensibilities of the U.S. former prisoners of war by requesting successor Japanese firms of private entities that used U.S. prisoner of war labor to emulate their government's sincerity by offering an apology and supporting programs for lasting remembrance and reconciliation. Acknowledges the work of the Department of State in advocating for the U.S. prisoners of war from the Pacific War. Applauds the dedication and patriotism of the members and descendants of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor for their pursuit of justice and lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Peace Corps Act to require the Director of the Peace Corps: (1) as part of the training provided to all volunteers, to develop and implement comprehensive sexual assault risk-reduction and response training that conforms to best practices in the sexual assault field; and (2) once a trainee has arrived in such trainee's country of service, to provide that individual with training tailored to such country, including cultural training relating to gender relations, risk-reduction strategies, a safety plan in the event of an assault, treatment available in such country, MedEvac procedures, and information regarding the legal process for pressing charges against an attacker. Requires the Director to provide each: (1) applicant for enrollment with a historical analysis of crimes against, and risks to, volunteers in the country in which the applicant has been invited to serve; and (2) trainee, before enrolling as a volunteer, with contact information of the Peace Corps' Inspector General for purposes of reporting violations of the sexual assault protocol or any other criminal or administrative wrongdoing by individuals who do business with the Peace Corps, and with clear, written guidelines regarding whom to contact and what steps to take in the event of a sexual assault. Requires the Director to: (1) develop, implement, and distribute comprehensive sexual assault protocol guidelines that conform to best practices in the sexual assault field that are applicable to all posts at which volunteers serve, and train all in-country staff regarding the protocol and guidelines; (2) expeditiously remove a volunteer who feels at risk of imminent bodily harm and requests removal from the site in which such volunteer is serving, and assess and evaluate the safety of the site; (3) establish sexual assault response teams; (4) conduct case reviews of a statistically significant number of cases on a quarterly basis; (5) establish a global tracking and recording system to track and record incidents of assault against volunteers; (6) establish an alternative reporting system and hotline access system through which volunteers who are assault victims can report and receive support anonymously; and (7) assign a certified victims advocate in Peace Corps headquarters who shall report directly to the Director. Establishes in the Peace Corps a Sexual Assault Advisory Council. Requires the Director to: (1) establish goals, metrics, and monitoring and evaluation plans for all Peace Corps programs and Country Directors; (2) annually conduct a confidential survey of volunteers regarding the effectiveness of Peace Corps programs and staff and the safety of volunteers; (3) establish and maintain a process to protect confidentiality and safety of volunteers reporting incidents and the information reported and to ensure that such information is acted on appropriately; and (4) determine the level of access to communication, including cellular and Internet access, of each volunteer. Prohibits the Director from: (1) disclosing personally identifying information or personal information of a volunteer who is a victim of assault collected in connection with services requested, utilized, or denied through Peace Corps programs; or (2) revealing such information without the informed, purpose-limited, and reasonably time-limited consent of such volunteer about whom such information is sought.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Balancing Act of 2011 - Family Leave Insurance Act - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to direct the Secretary of Labor to establish a Family and Medical Insurance Program, which may involve contracts with state programs, under which, for specified reasons, an eligible employee of a covered employer shall be entitled to family and medical leave insurance benefits for a total of 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month program. Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to establish a similar Civil Service Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program for federal employees. Creates in the Treasury the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a family and medical leave premium on employees and employers. Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act - Amends the FMLA to increase the number of employers to which it applies by reducing from 50 to 25 employees the threshold number triggering application of the Act. Entitles eligible employees and federal employees to take specified additional leave for parental involvement and family wellness. Domestic Violence Leave Act - Entitles eligible employees, including federal employees, to leave to address domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Includes within the purview of FMLA same-sex spouses and domestic partners and their children. Healthy Families Act - Requires certain employers to provide paid sick time to their employees, including time to address domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Prohibits such employers from discriminating against employees for their legitimate use of paid sick time. Directs the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to compile specified information relating to use of paid sick time. Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to authorize additional funds for expanding child care activities for young children under age three. Authorizes the Secretary to allot funds to eligible states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations for the federal share of access to affordable health benefits coverage for eligible child care providers. Establishes: (1) the Child Care Provider Development and Retention Grant Program; and (2) the Child Care Provider Scholarship Program. Healthy Early Education Workforce Grant Program Act - Requires a state receiving certain funds to expend them for the federal share of the cost of providing access to affordable health benefits coverage for eligible child care providers and, at state discretion, their spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. Child Care Facilities Financing Act - Authorizes the Secretary to make competitive technical and financial assistance grants to Department of the Treasury-certified community development financial institutions and other specified organizations for the acquisition, construction, or renovation of child care facilities. Directs the Secretary to establish a program to award competitive grants to assist states in providing incentive funds to encourage the establishment and operation of employer-operated child care programs. Universal Prekindergarten Act - Directs the Secretary to make grants to state agencies to develop high-quality full-day, full-year universal prekindergarten programs for all children three, four, and five years old. Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the school breakfast program to provide free breakfasts to school children without regard to family income. Afterschool Education Enhancement Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 with respect to requirements for state applications for 21st century community learning center grants. Repeals the restriction in such applications to students attending schools: (1) eligible for certain schoolwide programs; (2) serving a high percentage of students from low-income families; or (3) in need of academic improvement. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require that certain employees working at less than full-time under participation, vesting, and accrual rules governing pension plans be treated as meeting full-time year-of-service criteria. Qualifies such workers for group health plans. Extends ERISA coverage to certain individuals whose services are leased or contracted for. United States Business Telework Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to conduct a pilot program in up to five states to raise awareness about telework among employers and to encourage them to offer telework options to employees.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Women and Workforce Investment for Nontraditional Jobs or Women WIN Jobs - Requires the Secretary of Labor, in any fiscal year in which the total authorization of appropriations to carry out this Act exceeds $50 million, to allocate grants to states with approved state plans to provide funding to eligible entities (partnerships) to increase low-income women's participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations in which women make up less than 25% of the current workforce. Authorizes states to use grants for statewide activities, including to: (1) provide technical assistance to eligible entities and to state registered apprenticeship programs and sponsors and joint apprenticeship training councils in meeting their enrollment goal for low-income women in nontraditional occupations, (2) develop policies and protocols that set goals for hiring specific percentages of women into registered apprenticeships and permanent employment openings in publicly assisted projects, and (3) engage in outreach activities and provide training to overcome stereotypes about women in nontraditional occupations as well as gender inequity among employers. Authorizes the allocation of grant funds to eligible entities to support the recruitment, training, placement, and retention of low-income women in nontraditional occupations. Directs the Secretary to convene a national commission to examine and make recommendations for improving the status of women in high-demand, high-wage nontraditional occupations. Directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to collect data on the status of women's participation in underrepresented sectors of the economy, and examine the status of women in relation to that of men. Directs the Secretary to establish a national clearinghouse to collect and distribute best practices.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Equal Access to COBRA Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and Public Health Service Act to expand COBRA coverage (health insurance continuation benefits) to include an employee's domestic partner and any dependent child of the domestic partner.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Fair Sentencing Clarification Act of 2011 - Directs: (1) a court, in cases in which a sentence has not yet been imposed with respect to the application of the penalty amendments of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 to cocaine base offenses committed prior to the enactment of such Act, to impose such sentence as if such amendments were in effect on the date the offense was committed; and (2) the Court of Appeals to remand for resentencing consistent with such amendments such cases in which a sentence has already been imposed, if subject to a pending appeal on or after August 3, 2010. Authorizes the sentencing court, in the case of a defendant who has been convicted of such an offense committed before August 3, 2010, for which a term of imprisonment has been imposed, to reduce the term of imprisonment for that crime consistent with the amendments made by that Act on motion of the defendant or the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, or on its own motion.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to: (1) provide that such Act shall not apply to marihuana, except that it shall be unlawful to ship or transport from one state, territory, or district (jurisdiction) of the United States to another, or from a foreign country into such a U.S. jurisdiction, marihuana that is intended to be received, possessed, sold, or in any manner used in violation of any law of such jurisdiction; and (2) remove marihuana and tetrahydrocannabinols from the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Amends the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to exclude marijuana from its prohibitions on the import, export, manufacture, possession with intent to distribute, or distribution of a controlled substance.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Comprehensive Problem Gambling Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to: (1) establish and implement programs for the prevention, treatment, and research of pathological and other problem gambling; (2) carry out a national campaign to increase knowledge and raise awareness of problem gambling; and (3) establish and implement a national program of research on problem gambling. Authorizes the Administrator, in carrying out the national campaign, to: (1) administer and coordinate the voluntary donation of resources to assist in implementing new programs and augmenting and supporting existing national campaigns, and (2) encourage media outlets to provide information aimed at preventing problem gambling. Requires the Administrator to target radio and television audiences of events including sporting and gambling events. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a treatment improvement protocol for problem gambling; and (2) the Administrator to integrate problem gambling into existing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention programs where practical.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation Act or LEARN Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states for comprehensive planning to improve the literacy of children from birth through grade 12. Directs the Secretary to award grants to states to implement their comprehensive literacy plans for such children through: (1) competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or early learning programs for specified activities that support early language and literacy development in children from birth through kindergarten entry; (2) competitive subgrants to LEAs that have the highest numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students and students reading or writing below grade level for specified activities to improve the literacy of students in kindergarten through grade 12, including the provision of family literacy services; and (3) additional state activities that include providing technical assistance to subgrantees, coordinating literacy programs and resources throughout the state, disseminating information on promising literacy programs, and enhancing the credentials of literacy instructors. Allots implementation grants to states on the basis of each state's share of disadvantaged students. Requires the Secretary to: (1) perform a five-year national evaluation of the implementation and effect of the literacy initiatives supported by this Act, and (2) provide technical assistance and information on literacy instruction to educational entities. Authorizes the Secretary to withhold this Act's funding from states and subgrantees, and states to withhold funding from subgrantees, whose initiatives are not making significant progress in improving student literacy.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Major Drug Trafficking Prosecution Act of 2011- Requires the Attorney General's prior written approval for a federal prosecution of an offense under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) or the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (CSIEA), or for any conspiracy to commit such an offense, where the offense involves the illegal distribution or possession of a controlled substance in an amount less than that specified as a minimum for an offense under CSA or, in the case of any substance containing cocaine or cocaine base, in an amount less than 500 grams. Modifies CSA and CSIEA to delete specified mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to reauthorize through FY2016 the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. Modifies the scope of the AFG program, including by permitting the use of grant funds for volunteer, non-fire service emergency medical services organizations and for certifying fire and building inspectors employed by a fire department or serving as a volunteer building inspector with a fire department. Prohibits providing program funds to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or allied organizations. Increases: (1) funding for fire prevention and firefighter safety programs, and (2) maximum AFG grant amounts. Lowers matching and maintenance of expenditure requirements and authorizes the Administrator of FEMA to waive or reduce such requirements for applicants facing demonstrated economic hardship. Revises grant allocation requirements to require 25% of grant amounts for a fiscal year to be allocated to each of: (1) career fire departments, (2) volunteer fire departments, and (3) combination fire departments. Requires remaining amounts to be awarded on a competitive basis among such fire departments. Revises grant limits based on jurisdiction populations. Sets forth new limits on awards to state fire training academies. Limits grant amounts used to obtain training to training that complies with applicable national voluntary consensus standards. Amends SAFER program provisions to: (1) limit the period of program grants to three years; (2) require grantees to commit to retaining firefighters hired for the entire grant period, with an economic hardship exception; and (3) limit to 80% the portion of the cost of hiring firefighters for each fiscal year that may be provided under a grant. Directs the Administrator of FEMA to make grants directly to career, volunteer, and combination fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments that antedate the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Authorizes the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association, to conduct and report to Congress on a study to: (1) define the current roles and activities associated with the fire services on a national, state, regional, and local level: (2) identify the equipment, staffing, and training required to fulfill such roles and activities; (3) conduct an assessment to identify gaps between what fire departments currently possess and what they require on a national and state-by-state basis; and (4) measure the impact of the AFG program in meeting the needs and filling the gaps identified.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Commends the government of Japan for extending an official apology to all U.S. prisoners of war from the Pacific War and moving forward in planning to invite surviving members to Japan. Requests that the government of Japan respect the wishes and sensibilities of the U.S. prisoners of war by providing an appropriate program for lasting remembrance and reconciliation that recognizes their sacrifices and forced labor. Acknowledges the work of the Department of State in advocating for the U.S. prisoners of war from the Pacific War. Applauds the dedication and patriotism of the members and descendants of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor for their pursuit of justice and lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to list permissible sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities to include dogs and cats obtained: (1) from a licensed dealer, (2) from a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that meets specified requirements, (3) by donation from a person who bred and raised the dog or cat or owned it for not less than one year, or (4) from a research facility licensed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Sets forth additional monetary penalties for related violations. Prohibits federal facilities from purchasing or otherwise acquiring dogs or cats for exhibition purposes (currently, for research, experimentation, or exhibition purposes) except from: (1) the operator of an auction that comports with legal requirements, or (2) a person holding a valid dealer or exhibitor license. Prohibits dealers from selling or otherwise providing any research facility (currently, any individual or entity) with random source dogs or cats unless specified certification requirements are met.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise conditions of and limitations on payment for home health care services. Allows payment for home health services to Medicare beneficiaries by: (1) a nurse practitioner, (2) a clinical nurse specialist working in collaboration with a physician in accordance with state law, (3) a certified nurse-midwife, or (4) a physician assistant under a physician's supervision.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2011 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers the prices that may be charged to Medicare part D prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors and MedicareAdvantage (MA) organizations for covered part D drugs for part D eligible individuals who are enrolled under a PDP or under an MA-Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the manufacturer of a prescription drug marketed in interstate commerce to notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) of a discontinuance or interruption in the manufacture of such drug. Requires the notification to be submitted six months prior to the date of a discontinuance or interruption, if possible. Allows the reduction of the notification period if the manufacturer certifies to the Secretary that good cause exists for the reduction. Authorizes the Secretary to reduce the notification period based on the type of discontinuance or interruption at issue or any other factor. Treats any information provided to the Secretary under this Act as a trade secret or confidential information. Establishes civil monetary penalties for violations. Requires the Secretary to publish on the website of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and distribute to the appropriate health care providers and patient organizations information on discontinuances, interruptions, and drug shortages. Requires the Secretary to notify a manufacturer of: (1) any determination by the Secretary that a drug may be vulnerable to a drug shortage, and (2) the Secretary's duty to collaborate to improve continuity of supply. Prohibits the Secretary from requiring a manufacturer to: (1) manufacture a drug in the event of a discontinuance or interruption, or (2) delay or alter a discontinuance or interruption. Declares that no provision of federal law shall be construed to prohibit a manufacturer from, or penalize a manufacturer for, allocating distribution of its products in order to manage an actual or potential drug shortage. Requires the Comptroller General to examine issues related to drug shortages.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2011
Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2011 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to eliminate increased and mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses involving mixtures or substances which contain cocaine base (i.e., crack cocaine).
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2011
Children's Act for Responsible Employment of 2011 or the CARE Act of 2011 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to define "oppressive child labor," for purposes of the Act's child labor prohibitions, as the employment of any employee who is: (1) 16 or 17 in any occupation found by the Secretary of Labor to be particularly hazardous for their employment or detrimental to their health or well-being; (2) 14 or 15, unless the employment is confined to periods which do not interfere with the employee's schooling, health, or well-being; or (3) under 14. Revises the Act's exemptions to make the restrictions on oppressive child labor inapplicable to the following: (1) employment in agriculture of an employee under 18 years of age by his or her parent, or by a person standing in the place of the parent, on a farm owned by the parent or person (current law uses an age- and consent-based scheme); and (2) employment of an employee under age 16 by a parent, or a person standing in place of a parent, other than in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, or any other employment the Secretary finds to be particularly hazardous for the employment of children age 16 or 17 or detrimental to their health or well-being (current law applies the child labor restrictions to particularly hazardous agricultural employment, except where the child is employed by a parent or a person standing in place of the parent on a farm owned or operated by such person). Eliminates any waiver of such prohibitions for hand-harvesting of certain crops. Increases civil and establishes criminal penalties for child labor violations. Directs the Secretary to revise federal child labor regulations to prohibit the employment of children under 18 in duties involving the handling of pesticides.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2011
Sportsmanship in Hunting Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit knowingly: (1) transferring, transporting, or possessing a confined exotic animal for purposes of allowing the killing or injuring of that animal for entertainment or for the collection of a trophy; or (2) making available a computer-assisted remote hunt. Defines "confined exotic animal" as a mammal of a species not indigenous to the United States that has been held in captivity for the majority of its life or a continuous period of one year.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2011
Debt Elimination By Tax-Deductible Contribution Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers to designate a specified portion (not less than $1) of their income tax liability for deposit in the general fund of the Treasury to reduce the public debt. Allows any such gift to the United States for reduction of the public debt to be treated as a tax deductible charitable contribution.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2011
National Guard and Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act of 2011 - Amends the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act of 2008 to exempt for an additional four-year period qualifying Armed Forces reserve component and National Guard members (who, after September 11, 2001, are called to active duty or to perform a homeland defense activity for at least 90 days, and remain eligible for an exemption during the 540-day period following such active duty or homeland defense activity service) from the application of the means-test presumption of abuse under chapter 7 (Liquidation) of the Bankruptcy Code, as amended by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2011
Justice for Rape Victims and Improving Use of DNA Evidence Act of 2011 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to increase by 10% grants under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for states or local governments that had in effect for the previous fiscal year: (1) a process to provide a victim of sexual assault with an examination by a qualified sexual assault nurse examiner for purposes of collecting a rape kit from such victim and to provide the results of rape kit testing to the victim within 180 days, and (2) an online rape kit database containing specified information. Amends the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to require the Attorney General to conduct an annual study and report to Congress on the extent of the backlog in the United States relating to the analysis of DNA samples collected from crime scenes, victims, suspects, arrestees, and convicted offenders.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Shelter, Land, and Urban Management (SLUM) Assistance Act of 2011 - Authorizes the President to furnish technical assistance and financial support to developing countries for affordable housing and urban development. Directs the President, through the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to develop a strategy to provide affordable housing and sustainable urban development in developing countries.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Repeals certain Department of Education regulations that for purposes of determining whether a school is eligible to participate in programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA): (1) require institutions of higher education and postsecondary vocational institutions (except religious schools) to be legally authorized by the state in which they are situated, (2) delineate what such legal authorization requires of states and schools, and (3) define "credit hour." Prohibits the Secretary of Education from promulgating or enforcing any regulation or rule that defines "credit hour" for any purpose under the HEA.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Nationally Enhancing the Wellbeing of Babies through Outreach and Research Now Act or the NEWBORN Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award five-year grants to eligible entities to create, implement, and oversee infant mortality pilot programs. Defines "eligible entity" to mean a county, city, territorial, or tribal health department that has submitted a proposal to the Secretary that the Secretary deems likely to reduce infant mortality rates within the standard metropolitan statistical area involved. Requires the Secretary to give preference to eligible entities proposing to serve any of the 15 counties or groups of counties with the highest rates of infant mortality in the United States in the past three years. Sets forth uses of grant funds, which may include: (1) developing a plan that identifies the individual needs of each community to be served and strategies to address those needs; (2) providing outreach to at-risk mothers; (3) developing and implementing standardized systems for improved access, utilization, and quality of social, educational, and clinical services to promote healthy pregnancies, full-term births, and healthy infancies delivered to women and their infants; (4) establishing a rural outreach program to provide care to at-risk mothers in rural areas; (5) establishing a regional public education campaign; and (6) coordinating efforts between health departments to be served through the infant mortality program and existing entities that work to reduce the rate of infant mortality within an area.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Calls for the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in implementing existing federal epilepsy public education, outreach, and awareness campaigns under the Public Health Service Act, to collaborate with the Secretaries of Defense (DOD), Veterans Affairs (VA), Education, Labor, and Homeland Security (DHS) and the Attorney General to deliver the campaign's educational materials and messages to individuals and organizations, including: (1) teachers, administrators, and other school or education personnel; (2) federal, state, county, and local law enforcement personnel and first responders; (3) employers and labor organizations; and (4) other individuals and organizations the HHS Secretary deems to have regular interaction with individuals who are subject to epilepsy and seizure incidents.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2011
Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require personnel who perform or plan the technical component of either medical imaging examinations or radiation therapy procedures for medical purposes to possess, effective January 1, 2014: (1) certification in each medical imaging or radiation therapy modality and service they plan or perform from a certification organization designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS); or (2) state licensure or certification where such services and modalities are within the scope of practice as defined by the state for such profession and where the requirements for licensure, certification, or registration meet or exceed the standards established by the Secretary. Exempts physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants from the requirements of this Act. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish minimum standards for personnel who perform, plan, evaluate, or verify patient dose for medical imaging examinations or radiation therapy procedures; (2) establish a program for designating certification organizations after consideration of specified criteria; (3) provide a process for the certification of individuals whose training or experience are determined to be equal to, or in excess of, those of a graduate of an accredited educational program; and (4) publish a list of approved accrediting bodies for such certification organizations. Authorizes the Secretary to develop alternative standards for rural or health professional shortage areas as appropriate to ensure access to quality medical imaging. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow Medicare payment for medical imaging and radiation therapy services, only if the examination or procedure is planned or performed by an individual who meets this Act's requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2011
Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exclude from an employee's gross income employer-provided accident and health plan benefits extended to a domestic partner or non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiary eligible to receive such benefits under an employer plan (i.e., "eligible beneficiary"); (2) exempt such benefits paid to eligible beneficiaries from otherwise applicable employment and unemployment taxes; (3) allow self-employed individuals a tax deduction for the health insurance costs of their eligible beneficiaries; (4) allow tax-exempt voluntary employees' beneficiary associations to provide sick and accident benefits to the domestic partners and non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiaries of their members; (5) allow reimbursement of the medical expenses of an eligible beneficiary from a health savings account (HSA); and (6) extend tax-exempt medical benefits to the eligible beneficiaries of retired employees Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide guidance relating to reimbursements from a flexible spending arrangement and a health reimbursement arrangement attributable to an eligible beneficiary as defined by this Act.
![Official portrait of Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001068_200.jpg)