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Bill· SS. 3573 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Promoting Innovations to 21st Century Careers Act - Authorizes the Director of the National Academic and Career Innovation Center to award certain planning, implementation, transitional, and supplemental grants to eligible state partnerships to carry out activities that will create and enhance the educational and career pathways for high school students to postsecondary schools (including registered apprenticeship programs) and to 21st century careers, particularly in high skill, high demand industries. Establishes the National Academic and Career Innovation Center. Authorizes the Director to evaluate and conduct research to determine the effectiveness of the career pathway initiatives under this Act.
Bill· SS. 3584 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Obesity Prevention, Treatment, and Research Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to convene a United States Council on Overweight-Obesity Prevention with duties to include developing strategies to comprehensively prevent, treat, and reduce overweight and obesity. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to establish a grant demonstration and pilot program to address overweight and obesity issues, including through promoting increased physical activity and healthier lifestyles. Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC, to award grants to promote health behaviors for women and children in target populations. Provides for the collection and analysis of data on fitness levels, health, and nutrition. Includes community education programs designed to address and prevent overweight, obesity, and eating disorders as activities states may carry out under preventive health services and health services block grants. Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture to update and reform federal oversight of food and beverage labeling. Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to provide for additional funding for a program to make free fresh fruits and vegetables available in elementary schools. Amends the Medicare, Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant titles of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of certain services related to overweight and obesity, including diet and exercise counseling, medical nutrition therapy services, and weight and body mass index (BMI) measurement and monitoring.
Bill· SS. 3574 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), fraternities, and sororities for up to half the cost of installing fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in student housing and dormitories owned or controlled by such entities. Gives grant priority to applicants that demonstrate the greatest financial need. Reserves the following portions of grant funds made available for each fiscal year: (1) at least 10% for historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and IHEs that are eligible for Institutional Aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965; and (2) at least 10% for social fraternities and sororities. Provides that any application for assistance under this Act, any negative determination on the part of the Secretary with respect to such application, or any statement of reasons for the determination, shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of any court, agency, board, or other entity (except a proceeding to enforce an agreement entered into between the Secretary and a grantee under this Act).
Bill· SS. 3595 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Southern Nevada Higher Education Land Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey three parcels of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land to: (1) the Nevada System of Higher Education for the Great Basin College and the College of Southern Nevada; and (2) the System for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Specifies that the Nevada System of Higher Education may use the conveyed federal land for any purpose relating to the establishment, operation, growth, and maintenance of the System and for any uses related to such purposes, including residential and commercial development that would generally be associated with an institution of higher education.
Bill· SS. 3575 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Labeling Education and Nutrition Act of 2008 or the LEAN Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize a food service establishment to provide nutrition information for a food item by: (1) providing calories and nutrient information required for food intended for human consumption; (2) disclosing such information in written form; and (3) making such disclosure available upon request prior to purchase. Requires the labeling of a standard food item served or offered for sale in a food service establishment that is part of a chain that operates 20 or more establishments under the same trade name to disclose, in a clear and conspicuous manner, prior to the point of purchase: (1) the number of calories on a menu board, on a sign meeting certain requirements, in the menu, or as part of or supplement to the menu; (2) specified nutrient information, in writing and upon request; (3) a statement directing the consumer to the availability of additional nutrient information; and (4) a statement providing suggested daily caloric intake, on a menu or menu board that does not list calories. Declares a person to have knowingly or willfully violated the requirements of this Act if the person: (1) purposefully fails to make a disclosure required by this Act; or (2) makes a disclosure with the intent to deceive. Provides that a reasonable basis determination of nutrition information shall be required only once per standard food item if certain requirements are met. Preempts state laws not identical to this Act.
Bill· SS. 3590 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Bus Utility and Safety in School Transportation Opportunity and Purchasing Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants, on a competitive basis, to rural local educational agencies (LEAs) to pay the federal share (75%) of costs of purchasing new school buses. Requires the Secretary, in providing such grants, to give priority to rural LEAs that: (1) are transporting students in a bus manufactured before 1977; (2) have a strained fleet of school buses; or (3) serve a school required by law to provide transportation to students to enable them to transfer to another public school served by the rural LEA. Authorizes the Secretary to use up to 5% of formula grants for non-urbanized areas to carry out this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 7078 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Prevention, Awareness, and Research of Autoimmune Diseases Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, to award grants for the conduct or support of research on environmental triggers that can cause the initiation of autoimmune diseases in genetically predisposed individuals. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants to eligible entities to conduct public and professional awareness activities regarding autoimmune diseases. Allows grantees to use grant funds to: (1) promote increased awareness of early intervention and treatment to significantly improve the quality of life for people with autoimmune diseases; (2) target minority communities that may be underserved or disproportionately affected by such diseases; and (3) target women to help reduce the amount of time taken for correct diagnosis of such diseases. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to: (1) award grants to eligible entities for the education of health care providers on potential links between autoimmune diseases and cognitive and mood disorders, such as depression; and (2) establish an educational loan repayment program for physicians agreeing to conduct research on autoimmune diseases.
Bill· HRH.R. 7063 (110th)open
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
U.S. and the World Education Act - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to require the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education to: (1) assist the Secretary of Education in administering this Act's grant program; and (2) develop an international education research repository and make it available to states and local educational agencies (LEAs). Directs the Secretary, acting through the Deputy Assistant Secretary, to award competitive grants to LEAs, or partnerships between LEAs and private organizations or institutions of higher education that provide their LEA partners with funding, to promote international education in elementary and secondary schools. Requires each grantee to use: (1) one-half of its grant on enhancing international education within core curricula, such as by increasing teacher competency; and (2) the other half on providing supplemental international education services outside of normal instruction hours. Directs the Secretary to conduct a biennial independent evaluation of such international education programs.
Bill· HRH.R. 7093 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require that a nonimmigrant foreign student seeking to enter the United States to study at a language training program enroll in a program recognized as accredited by the Secretary of Education. Provides for a specified three-year exception to such requirement.
Bill· HRH.R. 7107 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require public institutions of higher education participating in student aid programs to charge dependent children of members of the Armed Forces a tuition rate equal to the rate for in-state residents. Applies such tuition rate throughout the program of study for which a student is enrolled, even if the student's parent becomes a former member of the Armed Forces before the completion of studies.
Bill· HRH.R. 7077 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
QI Program Supplemental Funding Act of 2008 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, to provide supplemental funding for the qualifying individual (QI) program. Requires a state to have in operation, in mechanized Medicaid claims processing and information retrieval systems, an eligibility determination system which provides for data matching through the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) facilitated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, including matching with medical assistance programs operated by other states. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make sponsors of certain antibiotic drugs eligible for a three-year or a five-year market exclusivity if a marketing application is submitted for an antibiotic drug that: (1) was approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services before November 21, 1997; or (2) was the subject of one or more applications received by the Secretary before November 21, 1997, none of which was approved. Authorizes the use of Medicaid integrity program funds for transportation and travel expenses for attendees at education, training, or consultative activities. Increases FY2014 funding for the Medicare Improvement Fund.
Bill· HRH.R. 7065 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Health Workforce Investment Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the National Health Workforce Advisory Council to make recommendations to relevant agencies and congressional committees on health workforce issues, including on: (1) the supply and distribution of the U.S. health workforce; (2) current and future shortages or excesses of health workforce professionals; (3) issues relating to foreign medical and nursing school graduates; and (4) deficiencies in existing databases concerning the supply and distribution of, and postgraduate training programs for, health workforce professionals. Requires the Council to encourage entities providing graduate medical education to conduct activities to voluntarily address health workforce issues. Establishes the National Center for Health Workforce Information and Analysis to conduct and support statistical and epidemiological activities for the purpose of assessing and improving the supply, distribution, diversity, and development of the health workforce in the United States. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states for: (1) ensuring access to health services for all individuals, particularly those with low incomes or limited access to health services; (2) improving the supply, distribution, diversity, and development of the health workforce; and (3) creating state-specific health workforce goals and objectives consistent with health status goals and national health workforce objectives. Authorizes the Secretary to provide for research to identify best practices and innovative approaches to improving the health workforce. Requires the Secretary to develop national health workforce objectives.
Bill· HRH.R. 7101 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a Pulp and Paper Energy Security Task Force to: (1) identify the energy needs of the forest product industry and similar manufacturing operations, and programs and services provided by the federal and state governments, as well as nongovernment organizations, that may serve to lower energy costs; and (2) assess the extent to which such programs and services serve those needs. Requires the Task Force to make recommendations to the Secretary on: (1) how to more effectively serve such needs; (2) how to promote recommended new programs and services; (3) creation of a permanent advisory board and establishment of an Internet website to receive and dispense relevant information and resources; and (4) development of additional education materials and programs. Requires the Task Force to organize and distribute existing materials that inform and educate with respect to such energy needs of the forest product industry and similar manufacturing operations.
Bill· HRH.R. 7091 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Care for Life Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) an Office of Pregnancy Support Services to encourage and assist pregnant women throughout pregnancy and following childbirth by providing services that will alleviate the financial, social, emotional, and other difficulties that may otherwise compel them to seek an abortion. Requires: (1) development of a Pregnancy Care Information Service as a publicly accessible database; (2) an annual nationwide conference on best practices in pregnancy support services and the key burdens or adverse circumstances facing pregnant women; (3) establishment and operation of a toll-free number for service referrals; and (4) a public outreach campaign regarding such services. Authorizes the awarding of competitive grants to provide pregnancy support services. Prohibits any preexisting condition exclusion or other discrimination in coverage or premiums against a woman because she is pregnant if the woman has had at least 12 months of health insurance coverage before seeking individual market coverage. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants to or contracts with higher education institutions and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies to establish and operate pregnant and parenting student services offices or agencies solely to provide pregnancy support services. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the tax credit for adoption expenses; (2) make such tax credit refundable; and (3) increase the exclusion from gross income for employer-paid adoption expenses.
Bill· HRH.R. 7072 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make technical corrections to the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008. Clarifies the Secretary of Education's authority to purchase, or enter into and fund forward commitments to purchase, until July 2010, Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) from lenders when there is an inadequate availability of loan capital to meet the demand for such loans. Includes, within such purchase authority, FFELs that qualify for loan rehabilitation under the Default Reduction program. Conditions the Secretary's purchase or forward commitment to purchase FFELs on lender agreement to originate or purchase new FFELs. (Currently, they are required to use the funds from such purchases to engage in such activities.) Requires the Secretary to contract with the current servicers of FFELs the Secretary is purchasing for the continued servicing of such loans, provided certain conditions are met. (Currently, the Secretary is authorized to enter into servicing agreements with willing lenders whose loans are being purchased.)
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 1504 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008
Recognizes the significance of the Caribbean as an important U.S. partner. Supports the Third Border Initiative (TBI) which is designed to enhance diplomatic, economic, health, education, disaster preparedness and law enforcement cooperation. Urges: (1) the U.S. and Caribbean governments to continue cooperative efforts to eliminate terrorist threats to hemispheric security; (2) the President to stem the decline in TBI funding levels; and (3) the Secretary of State to provide clear information to Congress in the Department of State's annual Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations on requested TBI projects and amounts.
Bill· SS. 3563 (110th)open
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Security Assistance Act of 2008 - Authorizes FY2009-FY2010 appropriations for military and related assistance. Revises provisions regarding: (1) arms export controls; (2) nuclear cooperation; and (3) specified reporting provisions. Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2008 - Authorizes the transfer of specified naval vessels to Pakistan, Greece, Chile, and Peru. Authorizes FY2009-FY2010 appropriations for nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, demining, and related programs. Authorizes FY2009 appropriations for international organizations. Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary) to establish a global pathogen security program. Nuclear Safeguards and Supply Act of 2008 - Authorizes additional appropriations for the refurbishment or possible replacement of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards Analytical Laboratory. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) pursue a program to strengthen technical safeguards research and development and improve interagency coordination on safeguards technology; and (2) develop a safeguards cadre program. Authorizes the President to create mechanisms to provide a reliable supply of nuclear fuel to those countries and groups of countries that adhere to policies to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation and that decide to forgo a national uranium enrichment program and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. Global Pathogen Surveillance Act of 2008 - Prohibits assistance to an eligible developing country that does not: (1) permit World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) personnel to investigate infectious disease outbreaks within its borders; and (2) provide pathogen surveillance data to appropriate U.S. and international agencies and organizations. Prohibits any participating foreign national from having unsupervised access to agents that may be used in a biological weapon. Establishes a public health education and training fellowship program. Directs the Secretary to support in-country training courses for public health personnel. Authorizes the President to furnish assistance to eligible developing countries for public health laboratory equipment and supplies. Directs CDC and the Department of Defense (DOD) to increase the number of laboratory personnel in eligible developing countries that conduct infectious disease research expand such laboratories' operations. Authorizes: (1) the President to provide assistance to enhance the surveillance and reporting capabilities for WHO and existing regional and international health networks, and develop new health networks; and (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish new country or regional foreign epidemiology training programs in eligible developing countries. Authorizes FY2009-FY2010 appropriations. International Space Station Payments Act of 2008 - Exempts from the prohibition on extraordinary payments U.S. government payments made between January 1, 2012, and reentry into Earth's atmosphere of the International Space Station (ISS) at its end of life for work or services necessary to meet U.S. obligations under the Agreement Concerning Cooperation on the Civil International Space Station. (Extraordinary payments are, generally, those made for work on the ISS which the Russian government pledged to provide at its expense and those for work on the ISS, or for the purchase of goods or services relating to human space flight, that are not required to be made under the terms of a contract or other agreement that was in effect on January 1, 1999, as the terms were in effect on that date.) Specifies that such exemption shall not permit payments for certain cargo or crew transportation or rescue services.
Bill· SS. 3557 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
America Saving for Personal Investment, Retirement, and Education Act of 2008 or the ASPIRE Act of 2008 - Establishes a KIDS Account Fund in the Treasury. Establishes within the Fund a Kids Investment and Development Savings Account (KIDS Account). Makes eligible to contribute to such account, and to receive a matching federal contribution, any U.S. citizen born after December 31, 2007, and under 18 years of age, whose modified adjusted gross income is below the applicable national median adjusted gross income amount. Creates the KIDS Account Fund Board to establish a default investment program under which, in a manner similar to a lifecycle investment program, sums in each KIDS Account are allocated to investment funds in the KIDS Account Fund based on the amount of time before the account holder attains the age of 18. States that, for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code, each KIDS Account shall be treated in the same manner as a Roth IRA. Applies Roth IRA requirements separately to KIDS accounts. Provides for: (1) distributions for higher education expenses; and (2) privately managed KIDS accounts. Subjects the Board to the same composition requirements, duties, and responsibilities as the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, to develop programs to promote the financial literacy of account holders of KIDS Accounts.
Bill· SS. 3571 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Health Impact Assessments Act of 2008 or the HIA Act of 2008 - Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study to determine the best practices, standardized tools, and models for using health impact assessments as a method to promote health and reduce health disparities through social policy, land use, the built environment, and other public policies and projects. Requires the Comptroller General to review: (1) the positive and negative health consequences of federal policies and programs; and (2) how to consider health impact assessments for any federal, state, local project that involves federal funding or work performed by the federal government. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award a grant to an institution of higher education to: (1) provide for expertise on health impact assessment to states, local health departments, metropolitan planning organizations, and local planning departments; (2) collect and disseminate best practices and provide technical assistance and training about the scope and uses of health impact assessments related to community planning and policy making; (3) develop necessary data and evidence to inform health impact assessments and land use and community design and other broad policy decisions; and (4) carry out a demonstration project to establish and implement effective processes and models for designing and administering health impact assessments. Requires the Director to expand CDC's capacity to promote the health impact assessment processes, including by developing guidance for assessing the public participation and potential health effects of social policy decisions.
Law· SS. 3560 (110th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
QI Program Supplemental Funding Act of 2008 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, to provide supplemental funding for the qualifying individual (QI) program. Requires a state to have in operation, in mechanized Medicaid claims processing and information retrieval systems, an eligibility determination system which provides for data matching through the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) facilitated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, including matching with medical assistance programs operated by other states. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make sponsors of certain antibiotic drugs eligible for a three-year or a five-year market exclusivity if a marketing application is submitted for an antibiotic drug that: (1) was approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services before November 21, 1997; or (2) was the subject of one or more applications received by the Secretary before November 21, 1997, none of which was approved. Authorizes the use of Medicaid integrity program funds for transportation and travel expenses for attendees at education, training, or consultative activities. Increases FY2014 funding for the Medicare Improvement Fund.
Bill· HRH.R. 7053 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Transportation Job Corps Act of 2008 - Requires the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to establish workforce development councils and governing boards in each of its ten regions. Replaces the current discretionary grant and contract programs addressing human resource needs as they apply to public transportation activities. Directs the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator, to establish programs for the award of grants to: (1) nonprofit organizations and educational institutions to introduce disconnected youth (ages 16 through 24 who are unemployed and out of school) to careers in the transit industry by providing them with basic skills education and pre-apprenticeship skills; (2) partnerships of transit agencies and unions representing non-managerial employees to develop education programs to improve job skills of transit employees and to provide education and training to assist individuals to enter the transit profession; and (3) the same or similar partnerships to develop special projects to increase education opportunities for disadvantaged transit industry individuals, including racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented in transit management, by providing student scholarships, pre-entry preparation, and retention activities.
Bill· HRH.R. 7045 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
National Plan to Advance Pancreatic Cancer Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and implement a Pancreatic Cancer Initiative to assist in coordinating activities to address the high mortality rate associated with pancreatic cancer. Requires the Secretary to establish the Interdisciplinary Pancreatic Cancer Coordinating Committee to: (1) provide advice on overall research objectives and benchmarks for pancreatic cancer research; (2) develop and annually update a strategic plan for pancreatic cancer research awareness; and (3) conduct evaluations and make recommendations to the Secretary, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Director of the National Cancer Institute regarding the prioritization and award of NIH research grants relating to pancreatic cancer. Requires the Secretary to develop a primary care provider education program on pancreatic cancer. Requires the Director of NIH and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a communication tool kit for patients and their families that focuses on specific pancreatic cancer issues relating to patient choices and patient care. Allows the Secretary to award grants to research institutions for use in developing innovative compounds or technologies for the prevention, early detection, or treatment of those cancers with five-year survival rates of less than 50%. Requires the Secretary to focus on pancreatic cancer during the initial five fiscal years of awarding such grants. Allows the Secretary to designate two additional Specialized Programs of Research Excellence focusing solely on pancreatic cancer research.
Bill· HRH.R. 7052 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Kids with Healthy Hearts Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Education to make five grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to conduct demonstration projects to screen children in kindergarten through grade six for high blood pressure. Requires screening programs, subject to parental consent, to screen children every six months during the school year, but to screen children one month after their initial screening if they fall in the 95th percentile or above for students with high blood pressure. Requires grantees to provide parents of children who remain in such range after their second screening with: (1) referrals to health care providers for consultations about high blood pressure; and (2) written information from the Department of Health and Human Services regarding hypertension risks and lifestyle changes related to diet and exercise that can improve overall health. Directs the Secretary to give grant preference to at least one LEA serving a high percentage of Native American, Latino, or African-American students.
Bill· HRH.R. 7050 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Energy Conservation Corps Act of 2008 - Establishes the Energy Conservation Corps in the Department of Energy (DOE) to hire for up to 24 months disadvantaged or disconnected individuals between the ages of 16 and 25 (Corps members) to work in service projects, primarily team-based, designed to increase energy efficiency and improve natural resources use. Directs the Secretary of Energy to accept applications from nonprofit, governmental, or educational organizations to establish, operate and support the Corps and to undertake projects related to energy and resource conservation and rural development. Requires such organizations to provide Corps members with access to education and job training opportunities.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 428 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Urges the Secretary of State to take measures to certify that United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) operates in full compliance with the Foreign Assistance Act and that no American taxpayer dollars are being directed to terrorists or to further terrorist propaganda. Calls on UNRWA to improve the transparency of educational materials used in UNRWA-administered schools. Urges UNRWA to implement terrorist name recognition software and other screening procedures to help ensure that UNRWA staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries are neither terrorists nor affiliated with terrorist organizations.
Bill· SS. 3549 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008
QI Program Supplemental Funding Act of 2008 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, to provide supplemental funding for the qualifying individual (QI) program. Requires a state to have in operation, in mechanized Medicaid claims processing and information retrieval systems, an eligibility determination system which provides for data matching through the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) facilitated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, including matching with medical assistance programs operated by other states. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make sponsors of certain antibiotic drugs eligible for a three-year or a five-year market exclusivity if a marketing application is submitted for an antibiotic drug that: (1) was approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services before November 21, 1997; or (2) was the subject of one or more applications received by the Secretary before November 21, 1997, none of which was approved. Authorizes the use of Medicaid integrity program funds for transportation and travel expenses for attendees at education, training, or consultative activities. Increases FY2014 funding for the Medicare Improvement Fund, and extends the Fund through FY2017 at a higher level.
Bill· SS. 3545 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008
Investment in After-School Programs Act of 2008 - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to local educational agencies, community-based organizations, or other entities to improve, expand, or establish rural after-school programs that provide students with a broad array of activities when school is not in session that improve their academic performance and promote their positive development. Requires eligible programs to be implemented in active collaboration with the schools the students attend and take place in safe and easily accessible facilities. Gives grant priority to partnerships between two or more entities eligible for such grants.
Resolution· SCONRESS.Con.Res. 101 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008
Congratulates the University of Nebraska at Omaha for 100 years of outstanding service in fulfilling its mission of providing sound learning and education.
Bill· HRH.R. 6998 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008
Veterans Mental Health Training for First Responders and Community Leaders Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a three-year pilot program to provide education and training to emergency response providers and community leaders about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, traumatic brain injury, and other mental health conditions related to deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Bill· HRH.R. 6997 (110th)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008
National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2008 - Directs the President to implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative to improve the federal government's role in designing and implementing federal water research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities to address changes in U.S. water use, supply, and demand. Directs the President to establish or designate an interagency committee to implement the Initiative, which shall: (1) develop a National Water Research and Assessment Plan; (2) coordinate all water-related federal research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities; (3) ensure cooperation among federal agencies; and (4) facilitate technology transfer, communication, and opportunities for information exchange with various parties through a National Water Initiative Coordination Office (to be established by the President to provide technical and administrative support to the committee). Requires the Plan to: (1) establish priorities for federal water research; (2) identify each current program and activity related to the Initiative; (3) identify funding levels; (4) set forth a strategy and timeline to achieve specified desired outcomes, including implementation of a National Water Census; (5) address suggestions and incorporate public input received; and (6) be submitted to Congress within one year of enactment. Directs the President to: (1) provide guidance to each federal agency participating in the Initiative regarding the preparation of requests for appropriations for activities related to the Plan; and (2) submit, concurrent with the annual budget submission to Congress, a report that describes Initiative activities and results during the previous fiscal year and outlines objectives for the next fiscal year.
Bill· HRH.R. 7019 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008
Middle Class College Tuition Tax Credit Expansion Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to replace the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits with a tax credit for 50% of qualified tuition and related expenses (including required books), up to $10,000, for attendance at an institution of higher education.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 1484 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008
Recognizes Project HOPE for 50 years of service in improving and saving the lives of millions of children and adults in developing nations through humanitarian assistance and health education.
Bill· SS. 3533 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Act of 2008 - Establishes the Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Program for the appointment of individuals who are graduates of accredited law schools to serve as Congressional Clerks in the Senate or House of Representatives. Requires the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the House Committee on House Administration to each select at least six individuals for a one-year term to serve as employees in their respective chambers. Specifies eligibility criteria for a Congressional Clerk, including that the selected candidate be a graduate of such a law school as of the starting date of his or her clerkship. Requires the committees to ensure that Congressional Clerks selected under this Act are apportioned equally between majority and minority party offices. Entitles each clerk selected to the same compensation as, and comparable benefits to, an individual who holds the position of a judicial clerkship for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia within three months of graduating from law school.
Bill· SS. 3534 (110th)referred
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.
Bill· SS. 3529 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Global Food Security Act of 2008 - States that is U.S. policy to promote global food security, improve agricultural productivity, and support the development of institutions of higher learning. Directs the President to designate an individual to serve as the Special Coordinator for Food Security to advise the President on international food security issues and oversee implementation of a comprehensive food security strategy. Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize appropriations for programs of agriculture, rural development, and nutrition. Permits certain of such funds to be made available for: (1) the collaborative research support program; and (2) the consultative group on international agricultural research. Establishes: (1) the higher education collaboration for technology, agriculture, research, and extension to provide assistance for policies and programs in eligible countries that advance agricultural productivity and hunger alleviation through partnerships with institutions of higher education; (2) the Board for Global Agricultural Education; and (3) a United States Emergency Food Assistance Fund.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 674 (110th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Designates September 22, 2008, as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Commends the National Falls Free Coalition and all other organizations for their efforts to promote awareness about preventing and reducing falls among older people in the United States. Encourages public and private entities to work together to increase education and awareness about the prevention of falls.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 669 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Recognizes efforts to educate, support, and provide hope for the Hispanic community, including efforts to: (1) honor outstanding Hispanic scientists in the United States at the annual National Hispanic Scientist of the Year Gala; and (2) motivate Hispanic youth to study science through "Meet the Hispanic Scientist Day," an opportunity for them to meet the honoree of the National Hispanic Scientist of the Year Award. Congratulates the 2008 National Hispanic Scientist of the Year (Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff), designated by the Museum of Science & Industry, for ongoing dedication to improving the quality of, and access to, science and engineering research and education.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 1478 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Commends the National Falls Free Coalition and all other organizations for their efforts to promote awareness about preventing and reducing falls among older people in the United States. Encourages public and private entities to work together to increase education and awareness about the prevention of falls.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 1479 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Commemorates the 50th anniversary of California State University, Northridge. Honors the school and its students, faculty, and staff for their invaluable contributions to higher education, advanced research, and community service.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 1472 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008
Encourages the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish and administer the Global Autism Assistance Program to: (1) support activities by nongovernmental organizations and other service providers, including advocacy groups, focused on autism in developing countries; and (2) establish a "teach the teachers" program to train health and education professionals working with autistic children in developing countries.
Bill· SS. 3515 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish an Institute for Ocean and Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change at an institution of higher education in each of four separate regions of the United States; and (2) award grants to such educational institutions for research, planning, and related activities to assess and prepare for the impacts of climate change on ocean and coastal areas, including the Great Lakes.
Bill· SS. 3520 (110th)referred
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.
Bill· HRH.R. 6958 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Hurricane Ike Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax benefits to individuals affected by Hurricane Ike. Makes specified provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, which currently apply only to residents of the Gulf Opportunity Zone and the Hurricane Katrina disaster area, applicable to the Hurricane Ike recovery area, including: (1) tax-exempt bond financing, the low-income housing tax credit, accelerated depreciation and increased expensing of business assets, an increase in the rehabilitation tax credit, extended carryback of net operating losses, and investment in tax credit bonds; (2) expensing of environmental remediation costs and demolition and cleanup costs; (3) tax incentives for employer-provided housing; (4) tax-free withdrawals from retirement accounts and recontributions for home purchases; (5) employer tax credits for retention of employees; and (6) suspension of limitations on tax deductions for charitable contributions and personal casualty losses. Extends through 2009 the additional tax exemption for housing displaced individuals in the Hurricane Ike recovery area. Extends through 2009 the enhanced tax deduction for charitable contributions of food inventories and of book inventories to public schools. Requires charitable organizations to provide the Secretary of the Treasury with specified information, on an annual basis, relating to their disaster relief activities. Makes the standard mileage rate used to determine the tax deduction for the use of a passenger automobile for charitable purposes equal to the standard mileage rate used for the tax deduction for medical and moving expenses.
Bill· HRH.R. 6948 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants to eligible institutions of higher education to improve mental and behavioral health services and outreach on college and university campuses. Directs the Secretary to give special consideration to programs that: (1) demonstrate the greatest need; (2) propose effective approaches for initiating or expanding campus services; (3) target underserved and at-risk populations; (4) coordinate with a community mental health center or other community mental health resources; (5) identify how the college or university will address psychiatric emergencies; and (6) demonstrate the greatest potential for replication and dissemination. Allows the Secretary to provide technical assistance to grantees. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to convene an interagency, public-private sector working group to plan, establish, and begin coordinating and evaluating a targeted public education campaign that is designed to focus on mental and behavioral health on college campuses. Requires the Secretary to establish the College Campus Task Force to discuss mental and behavioral health concerns on college and university campuses.
Bill· HRH.R. 6959 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Fair Funding for Upward Bound Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to clarify the procedures for awarding grants and contracts under the TRIO program (which prepares disadvantaged students for postsecondary education and provides them with support services) by: (1) prohibiting an applicant from receiving a lower score for omitting application information or assurances not required in the guidance issued by the Secretary of Education; and (2) requiring the method for weighing an applicant's prior experience to be consistent for each program year. Directs the Secretary to: (1) notify applicants of any changes in the procedures for awarding TRIO grants and contracts at least 30 days before implementing them, provided such notice was not included in the guidance issued by the Secretary; and (2) annually notify each applicant of its peer review score for prior experience.
Bill· HRH.R. 6954 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Senior Financial Empowerment Act of 2008 - Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to: (1) review and amend its sentencing guidelines to include the age of a crime victim in its criteria for determining whether a sentencing enhancement is appropriate; and (2) report to Congress on issues relating to the age of crime victims. Directs the Attorney General to establish and administer a competitive grant program for mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud prevention education programs for senior citizens. Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to public awareness of the impact of mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud on senior citizens.
Bill· HRH.R. 6970 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
AmericaView Authorization Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), to: (1) maintain a nationwide AmericaView Program to advance the availability, distribution, and use of remote sensing data (information acquired from above the surface of the Earth by satellite or airplane) and technology in each state; (2) maintain AmericaView (the national nonprofit collaboration of StateView participants cooperating with the EROS Data Center to achieve the purposes of the AmericaView Program) in each state to develop publicly accessible remote sensing data archive and distribution infrastructure and expand remote sensing education, research, and knowledge; (3) award annual grants to sustain and develop StateView programs (the AmericaView programs of an individual states, comprised of educational institutions and state and local governments); and (4) maintain an advisory committee to advise the USGS Director about the AmericaView Program.
Bill· HRH.R. 6971 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Public Service Scholarship Act of 2008 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a Public Service Scholarship program authorizing the Secretary of Education to make grants to states for scholarships to exceptionally able students who show promise of continued excellence and agree to serve as federal employees for at least five years. Allocates scholarship funds among states on the basis of each state's share of the nation's population of five- through 17-year olds; but sets the minimum allocation at a level allowing grantees to award at least 10 scholarships per year.
Bill· HRH.R. 6952 (110th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
People Resolved to Obtain an Understanding of Democracy (P.R.O.U.D.) Act - Amends part D (Fund for the Improvement of Education) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the funding of demonstration or pilot programs to assist high school students who seek U.S. citizenship in satisfying the requirements that they understand the English language, fundamentals of our history, and principles and form of our government.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 1463 (110th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Recognizes the benefits of service-learning in improving academic outcomes for youth, engaging youth in positive community experiences, and helping them make more constructive choices in life. Encourages schools, school districts, college campuses, community-based organizations, non-profits, and faith-based organizations to provide youth with more service-learning opportunities. Expresses support for the goals of the annual National Learn and Serve Challenge, that spotlights the value of service-learning to youth, schools, college campuses, and communities.