Education

Total Force Educational Assistance Enhancement and Integration Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Total Force Educational Assistance Enhancement and Integration Act of 2007 - Recodifies under federal veterans' benefits law (currently codified under federal armed forces law) provisions relating to educational assistance for members of the reserves. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) (currently, the Secretary of each military department) to carry out such assistance. Makes eligible for such assistance under this Act those who, after October 1, 2008: (1) enlist or extend an enlistment in the Selected Reserve for not less than six years; or (1) are appointed or agree to serve in the Selected Reserve for at least six years. Includes under this Act those eligible for such assistance as of October 1, 2008. Increases monthly amounts of authorized assistance. Removes restrictions on the use of such assistance for apprenticeships and on-job training, flight training, licensing and certification tests, and individualized tutorial assistance. Requires the Secretary (currently, the military department Secretaries) to provide educational assistance to reserve personnel ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency. Makes eligible for such assistance under this Act those who, on or after October 1, 2008: (1) serve on active duty in support of a contingency operation for 90 days or more; or (2) perform full-time National Guard duty for 90 days or more in response to a national emergency. Includes under this Act those eligible for such assistance as of October 1, 2008. Revises provisions concerning assistance amounts. Requires funding for benefits accruing under this Act: (1) on or after October 1, 2008, to be made from funds available to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the payment of readjustment benefits; and (2) before such date from the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund.

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to increase, over five cost reporting periods, the Medicare caps on the total number of full-time equivalent residents in the field of allopathic or osteopathic medicine (graduate medical education (GME) positions) for states with a shortage of residents. Requires the aggregate number of such increases for a state to be at least 15, but no more than the state resident cap increase.

Save Our Shores Act

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Save Our Shores Act - Amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to extend the authorization of appropriations for research, education, and monitoring activities related to the prevention, reduction, and control of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. Requires that all federal financial assistance for harmful algal bloom research be awarded on a competitive, peer reviewed basis.

School Safety Enhancements Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

School Safety Enhancements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: (1) allow the placement and use of surveillance equipment in schools under the matching grant program for school security; (2) allow the use of grant funds to establish hotlines or tiplines for reporting potentially dangerous students and situations and for making capital improvements to make school facilities more secure; (3) set the federal matching share of program costs at 80%; and (4) revise application requirements for school security grants. Requires the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Secretary of Education to establish an interagency task force to develop and promulgate advisory school safety guidelines.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire from willing sellers not more than 115 acres of land (including any improvements to the land) or interest (including conservation easements) in land contiguous to the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site for inclusion in the Site. Permits up to five acres of such acquired land to be used for: (1) a visitor and education center; and (2) a visitor parking area. Instructs the Secretary, upon the acquisition of any land or interest in land under this Act, to revise the boundary of the Site to reflect the acquisition. Requires any land acquired under this Act to be administered by the Secretary as part of the Site.

Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Assistance Act

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Assistance Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants to educational organizations to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.

Stamp Out Gang Violence Act

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Stamp Out Gang Violence Act - Directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special postage stamp to provide funding for the Department of Justice Gang Resistance Education and Training Program.

Providing amounts for the expenses of the Committee on Education and Labor in the One Hundred Tenth Congress.

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Provides amounts for expenses of the House Committee on Education and Labor for the 110th Congress.

Honoring the Marquis de Lafayette on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of his birth.

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007

Honors the Marquis de Lafayette on the 250th anniversary of his birth. Urges military academy cadets and military officers participating in various professional military education courses to study Lafayette's impact on the creation of the United States and on the U.S. military.

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to increase, over five cost reporting periods, the Medicare caps on the total number of full-time equivalent residents in the field of allopathic or osteopathic medicine (graduate medical education (GME) positions) for states with a shortage of residents. Requires the aggregate number of such increases for a state to be at least 15, but no more than the state resident cap increase.

Rural Teacher Retention Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Rural Teacher Retention Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to establish a five-year pilot program awarding competitive grants to no more than 10 states to enable them to award salary bonuses to highly qualified teachers or highly qualified special education teachers who teach, or commit to teach, for at least three academic years, in an elementary or secondary school served by the same rural local educational agency (LEA), including one that serves a high number or percentage of children who are Native Hawaiian. Awards such grants on the basis of the needs of a state's rural LEAs for recruiting and retaining such teachers. Requires that, in determining such needs, the Secretary consider: (1) a rural LEA's eligibility for assistance under part B (Rural Education Initiative) of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; (2) a rural LEA's service of low-income, limited English proficient, migrant, Indian, or disabled students; and (3) the state's long-term plans for recruiting and retaining such teachers in its rural LEAs. Requires the Secretary to track and assess the implementation and effectiveness of each project funded under this Act..

Food Stamp Personal Savings and Investment Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Food Stamp Personal Savings and Investment Act of 2007 - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to provide an annual financial resource inflation adjustment for purposes of household food stamp program eligibility. Excludes from countable financial resources specified retirement and education accounts. (Authorizes the exclusion of other such programs.)

Family Education Freedom Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Family Education Freedom Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit of up to $5,000 (adjusted for inflation after 2007) per student per year for the cost of attendance at any educational institution (including any private, parochial, religious, or home school) organized to provide elementary or secondary education, or both.

Hope Plus Scholarship Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Hope Plus Scholarship Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include qualified elementary and secondary education expenses within the definition of the term qualified tuition and related expenses for purposes of the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit.

National STEM Scholarship Database Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

National STEM Scholarship Database Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to establish and maintain, on the public website of the Department of Education, a database of information on public and private programs of financial assistance for the study of postsecondary and graduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Requires that such database: (1) provide separate information for each field of study; (2) be searchable by category and combinations of categories; (3) indicate programs targeted toward specific demographic groups; and (4) provide searchers with program sponsor contact information and hyperlinks.

Education Improvement Tax Cut Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Education Improvement Tax Cut Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a tax credit up to $5,000 per year (adjusted annually for inflation after 2007) for contributions to a school tuition organization which distributes at least 90 percent of its annual gross income for elementary and secondary school scholarships; and (2) a tax credit up to $5,000 per year (adjusted annually for inflation after 2007) for contributions to a school materials organization which distributes at least 90 percent of its annual gross income to elementary and secondary schools for materials and equipment for instruction and for extracurricular activities.

Living Wage, Jobs For All Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

A Living Wage, Jobs for All Act - Declares that Congress affirms the basic economic rights and responsibilities under the 1944 "Economic Bill of Rights," while updating and extending it to include: (1) certain rights to decent jobs, income security for individuals unable to work for pay, a decent living for farm families, freedom from monopolies, decent housing, adequate health services, Social Security in old age, sickness, accidental injury, and unemployment, and education and work training; and (2) certain other rights relating to collective bargaining, a safe working environment, information on trends in pollution sources and products and processes that affect the well-being of workers throughout the world, voting and campaigning, and personal security. Requires corporations registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to disclose fully in annual reports the impact of their activities on environmental quality and on the rights of other stakeholders, including employees, consumers, and communities. Requires each state to require all state-chartered corporations to submit such annual reports. Directs the Attorney General to establish a computerized registration program of all corporations found guilty of violating a federal or state law. Authorizes the President to deny federal contracts, loans, or loan guarantees to non-compliant corporations. Requires federal agencies and commissions, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, to help establish and maintain conditions under which all adult Americans may freely exercise the economic rights specified in 1944 and in this Act. Prohibits federal agencies or commissions from promoting recession, stagnation, or unemployment to reduce wages or inflation. Directs the President to establish a full employment framework for the annual budget submitted to Congress that meets specified goals for: (1) quality of life and environment; (2) responsible, sustainable growth; (3) unemployment reduction; and (4) human rights. Requires the Joint Economic Committee to oversee actions under this Act and submit an annual Concurrent Resolution on Economic Policy setting forth its proposed employment goals.

Professional Educators Tax Relief Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Professional Educators Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employees of prekindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools a tax credit of up to $3,000 (adjusted annually for inflation after 2007). Requires such employees to hold positions involving: (1) regular contact with students; and (2) the formulation or implementation of the educational program for the school.

Encouraging the Federal Government and State and municipal governments, universities, companies, and other institutions in the United States, and all Americans to divest from companies that do business with Sudan.

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007

Encourages federal, state, municipal, university, corporate, and private citizen divestiture from companies that do business with Sudan.

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2007 - Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish requirements for providing and receiving reimbursement for school-based health care for children, including children with special needs, and the related administrative and transportation costs covered under Medicaid. Includes health care provided through Medicaid managed care organizations. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education, acting jointly, to develop and implement a uniform methodology for claims under this Act.

HEART for Women Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Heart Disease Education, Analysis Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act to require an application for approval or for investigation of a drug, device, or biological product to include information stratified by sex, race, and ethnicity, including any differences in safety and effectiveness. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) withhold approval of such an application or place a clinical hold on an investigation if such information is not included; and (2) report to the scientific community and make information available to the public on such stratified data upon approval of an application. Requires the Comptroller General to study the drug approval process to ensure compliance with this Act. Requires the Secretary to require that all nonidentifiable patient safety work product reported to a patient safety database be stratified by sex. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), to report to Congress concerning the quality of and access to care for women with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Provides for an educational campaign relating to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases in women. Authorizes appropriations to enable the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program projects in all states and territories.

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2008 for military operations and military construction. Authorizes appropriations to DOD for: (1) procurement, including aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement; (2) the Rapid Acquisition Fund and the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund; (3) research, development, test, and evaluation, including ballistic missile defense; (4) operation and maintenance, including defense working capital funds, the defense health program, chemical agents and munitions destruction, and environmental restoration; (5) active and reserve military personnel, including end strengths; and (6) increased costs due to the Global War on Terror for military activities and military construction. Sets forth provisions or requirements concerning: (1) active and reserve military personnel, including officer personnel policy; (2) military education and training, including military justice and defense dependents' education; (3) military pay and allowances; (4) retired pay and survivor benefits, including Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) matters; (5) military health care; (6) acquisition policy and management; (7) DOD organization and management, including intelligence-related matters; (8) financial, counterdrug, and homeland security matters; (9) civilian personnel matters; and (10) matters relating to other nations, including nonproliferation. Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007[ sic ] - (Text to be submitted at a later date.)

Next Generation Hispanic-Serving Institutions Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Next Generation Hispanic-Serving Institutions Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise requirements for Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) under title V (Developing Institutions). Establishes a program of competitive grants to eligible HSIs that offer postbaccalaureate certifications or degrees (part B grants). Limits a part B grant award's duration to not more than five years. Prohibits the Secretary of Education from awarding more than one part B grant to an HSI in any one fiscal year. Authorizes appropriations for: (1) the current part A program of grants to HSIs that offer baccalaureate degrees or are junior or community colleges; and (2) the new part B program of grants to HSIs that offer postbaccalaureate certifications or degrees.

No Child Left Behind Flexibility and Improvements Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

No Child Left Behind Flexibility and Improvements Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to revise requirements relating to annual yearly progress (AYP) of students and schools, statewide and local accountability systems, special education, limited English proficiency students, funding levels and academic assessment deferrals, highly qualified teachers, and reading activities. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to modify an AYP timeline. Allows states to use: (1) additional types of statewide models and systems for measuring all students' progress; and (2) alternative assessments, designated by their individualized education program plan teams, for students with disabilities. Gives states an option to include as limited English proficiency students, until they complete secondary school, those formerly in such subgroup who have subsequently acquired English proficiency. Permits use of local assessments in measuring AYP. Increases the levels of ESEA funding which must be reached before states are not allowed certain deferrals of academic assessments. Revises requirements relating to AYP by group and subgroup. Adds options for deeming teachers of multiple academic subjects as highly qualified, and for general social studies certification. Authorizes use of reading activities subgrants for individual or small-group instruction, as well as for class-wide instruction.

Student Aid Reward Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Student Aid Reward Act of 2007 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a Student Aid Reward (SAR) Program of payments to encourage institutions of higher education (IHEs) to participate in the student loan program under title IV that is most cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires that a SAR payment to an IHE equal at least 50% of the savings to the federal government generated by the IHE's participation in the most cost-effective student loan program, rather than one not cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires IHEs receiving SAR payments to: (1) provide student loans under that most cost-effective program for five years after the payment date; and (2) use payment funds, where appropriate, to supplement student Pell Grants. Allows such funds to be used also to award need-based grants to lower and middle income graduate students.

SAFER NET Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Safeguarding America's Families by Enhancing and Reorganizing New and Efficient Technologies Act of 2007 or the SAFER NET Act - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish an Office of Internet Safety and Public Awareness to be headed by a Director. Requires the FTC, acting through the Office, to carry out a nationwide program to increase public awareness and education regarding Internet safety, that utilizes existing resources and efforts of all levels of government and other appropriate entities and that includes: (1) evaluating and improving the efficiency of Internet safety efforts provided by such entities; (2) identifying and promoting best practices; (3) establishing and carrying out a national outreach and education campaign; (4) serving as the primary contact in the federal government and as a national clearinghouse for Internet safety information; (5) facilitating access to, and the exchange of, such information; (6) providing expert advice to the FTC; and (7) providing technical, financial, and other appropriate assistance to such entities.

HEART for Women Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Heart Disease Education, Analysis Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act to require an application for approval or for investigation of a drug, device, or biological product to include information stratified by sex, race, and ethnicity, including any differences in safety and effectiveness. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) withhold approval of such an application or place a clinical hold on an investigation if such information is not included; and (2) report to the scientific community and make information available to the public on such stratified data upon approval of an application. Requires the Comptroller General to study the drug approval process to ensure compliance with this Act. Requires the Secretary to require that all nonidentifiable patient safety work product reported to a patient safety database be stratified by sex. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), to report to Congress concerning the quality of and access to care for women with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Provides for an educational campaign relating to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases in women. Authorizes appropriations to enable the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program projects in all states and territories.

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2007 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish requirements for providing and receiving reimbursement for school-based health care for children, including children with special needs, and the related administrative and transportation costs covered under Medicaid. Includes health care provided through Medicaid managed care organizations. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education, acting jointly, to develop and implement a uniform methodology for claims under this Act.

Minority Diabetes Initiative Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Minority Diabetes Initiative Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to provide treatment for diabetes in minority communities. Requires the Secretary to ensure that such grants cover a variety of diabetes-related health care services, including routine care for diabetic patients, public education on diabetes prevention and control, eye care, foot care, and treatment for kidney disease and other complications of diabetes.

Student Aid Reward Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Student Aid Reward Act of 2007 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a Student Aid Reward (SAR) Program of payments to encourage institutions of higher education (IHEs) to participate in the student loan program under title IV that is most cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires that a SAR payment to an IHE equal at least 50% of the savings to the federal government generated by the IHE's participation in the most cost-effective student loan program, rather than one not cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires IHEs receiving SAR payments to: (1) provide student loans under that most cost-effective program for five years after the payment date; and (2) use payment funds, where appropriate, to supplement student Pell Grants. Allows such funds to be used also to award need-based grants to lower and middle income graduate students.

Cancer Testing, Education, Screening, and Treatment Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Cancer Testing, Education, Screening, and Treatment Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to qualifying health centers and nonprofit organizations to develop, expand, or operate programs to provide: (1) information and education on cancer prevention; (2) screenings for cancer; (3) counseling on cancer, including counseling upon a diagnosis of cancer; and (4) treatment for cancer. Requires the Secretary to give preference to applicants that: (1) have service populations that include a significant number of low-income minority individuals who are at-risk for cancer; (2) will emphasize early detection of and comprehensive treatment for cancer; (3) will provide comprehensive treatment services for cancer in its earliest stages; (4) will provide such early detection and treatment for two or more types of cancer; and (5) have established or will establish referral arrangements with entities that provide screenings for low-income individuals.

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding the right of all citizens of the United States to a public education of equal high quality.

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007

Constitutional Amendment - Provides that all persons shall enjoy the right to a public education of equal high quality.

David C. Geary, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences for a term expiring November 28, 2010, vice Roberto Ibarra Lopez, term expired.

United States · United States Senate · 12 February 2007

Carol D'Amico, of Indiana, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences for a term expiring November 28, 2010. (Reappointment)

United States · United States Senate · 12 February 2007

Eric Alan Hanushek, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences for a term expiring November 28, 2010. (Reappointment)

United States · United States Senate · 12 February 2007

Head Start for School Readiness Act

United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2007

Head Start Improvements for School Readiness Act - Amends the Head Start Act to revise and reauthorize Head Start programs. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide financial assistance to Head Start agencies for five-year periods. Extends the authorization of appropriations for Head Start programs through FY2012. Revises authorized uses of quality improvement funds to include outreach to homeless families, migrant and seasonal farmworker families, and families with children with a limited English proficiency. Directs the Secretary (who is currently authorized) to award collaboration grants for Head Start and other related-agencies within states. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to require Head Start agencies to ensure that eligible homeless children are identified and prioritized for enrollment. Revises requirements for designation as a Head Start agency. Requires each agency to establish a governing body and policy council. Revises the additional educational performance standards included as program quality standards, and performance measures for program monitoring. Requires Head Start agencies to report to the Secretary monthly on enrollment in their Head Start programs. Directs the Secretary to develop plans to reduce or eliminate under-enrollment in programs with an enrollment less than 95% of their funded enrollment. Requires each agency to enroll 100% of its funded enrollment, and to maintain an active waiting list and outreach to the community and underserved populations. Establishes a Centers of Excellence in Early Childhood program. Requires Head Start alignment with K-12 education. Changes the Head Start family income eligibility requirement from below the poverty line to below 130% of the poverty line. Deems homeless children to be eligible for Head Start services. Exempts military housing from being counted as family income in determining a child's eligibility to enroll in a Head Start program. Revises Early Head Start programs, including requiring center-based staff to have specified qualifications. Requires each Head Start agency to ensure that all of its teachers receive ongoing training in language and emergent literacy. Establishes a Tribal Colleges and Universities Head Start Partnership program. Directs the Secretary to: (1) incorporate the results of the National Academy of Science study on Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young Children into the assessments and standards used in Head Start programs; and (2) study the status of children with limited English proficiency and their families in Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Requires Head Start agencies to obtain written parental consent before administering to a child, or referring a child for, a non-emergency intrusive physical examination.

Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2007

Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to deny an application for a new animal drug that is a critical antimicrobial animal drug unless the applicant demonstrates that there is a reasonably certainty of no harm to human health due to the development of antimicrobial resistance attributable to the nontherapeutic use of the drug. Defines "critical antimicrobial animal drug" as a drug intended for use in food-producing animals that contains specified antibiotics or other drugs used in humans to treat or prevent disease or infection caused by microorganisms. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw approval of a nontherapeutic use of such drugs in food-producing animals two years after the date of enactment of this Act unless certain safety requirements are met. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make payments to livestock or poultry producers to defray the costs of reducing the use of such drugs, with priority given to family-owned or small farms and ranches. Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to colleges and universities to establish programs to phase out the nontherapeutic use of such drugs in livestock or poultry. Requires the manufacturer of such a drug or an animal feed for food-producing animals containing such a drug to report sales information to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Pell Grant Equity Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2007

Pell Grant Equity Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to repeal the formula for calculation of an individual Pell Grant which includes, in part, the sum of the student's tuition. (Thus eliminates the "tuition sensitivity provision" which currently prohibits maximum Pell Grant awards to students attending low-tuition institutions of higher education even if their income is low enough to otherwise qualify for the maximum award.)

Williamson Evers, of California, to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, Department of Education, vice Tom Luce, resigned.

United States · United States Senate · 8 February 2007

VET Act

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Veterans Employment and Training Act of 2007 or VET Act - Authorizes the accelerated payment of basic educational assistance under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) basic educational assistance program for an individual entitled to such assistance who, during the period beginning on October 1, 2007, and ending on September 30, 2011, is enrolled in a VA-approved program of education lasting less than two years that leads to employment in one of the following sectors: (1) transportation; (2) construction; (3) hospitality; or (4) energy.

Rural Opportunities Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Rural Opportunities Act of 2007 - Amends the Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) make state grants for extension, education, applied research, and development activities at institutions of higher education, state agencies, or partnerships for local and regional bioenergy and biobased product use and production; and (2) provide funds for basic research on next generation technology. Authorizes the Secretary to make supplemental rural cooperative development grants. Amends the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary to: (1) establish regional bonus grant funds for bioenergy and biobased products competitive research, education, and extension programs; and (2) carry out agroforestry conversion and cellulosic production pilot programs. Extends: (1) the renewable energy systems and energy improvements program; and (2) the value-added agricultural grant program. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary to make state grants for development of the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and other land managers. Directs the Secretary to carry out specified pilot programs. Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend: (1) the beginning farmer and rancher development program; and (2) the organic certification cost-share program. Directs the Secretary to identify barriers to small, beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged producers in conservation and farm support programs. Authorizes funds for rural technology transfers. Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to extend the best utilization of biological applications program. Establishes a federal-state matching grant program. Extends: (1) the national training program; (2) the organic agriculture research and extension program; and (3) the socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers outreach and technical assistance program. Amends the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to direct the Secretary to establish a national organic agriculture conversion and stewardship incentives program. Authorizes geographic produce and food procurement preferences for certain Department of Defense and Department of Agriculture programs. Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to extend the women, infants, and children (WIC) farmers' market nutrition program. Amends the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to extend the farmers market promotion program. Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to extend, and revise funding provisions for, assistance for community food projects. Requires: (1) broadband service providers to provide the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with specified information; and (2) the FCC to provide Congress with demographic information for underserved areas. Sets forth specified offset provisions.

National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education Amendments Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education Amendments Act of 2007 - Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act with respect to the National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education (Foundation). Requires the Foundation Board to appoint a chief operating officer for the Foundation separate from the Secretary of the Interior (who currently acts as chief operating officer). Places limitations on the administrative costs of the Foundation. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2010. Authorizes the Secretary to provide funds to pay the operating expenses of the Foundation.

To amend the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 to modify the definition of "Indian student count".

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Amends the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 with respect to grants to tribally controlled postsecondary vocational and technical institutions that are not receiving federal support under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978 or the Navajo Community College Act to provide basic support for the education and training of Indian students. Revises the definition of "Indian student count" (essential to the formula for the determination of grant amounts).

CLEAN-UP of Methamphetamines Act

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Clean, Learn, Educate, Abolish, Neutralize, and Undermine Production of Methamphetamines Act or the CLEAN-UP of Methamphetamines Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to carry out environmental cleanup and remediation programs involving specified lands that are contaminated with hazardous substances associated with illegal methamphetamine manufacture. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate as hazardous certain byproducts of the methamphetamine production process and expand penalties against laboratory operators; (2) the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration to list byproducts likely to cause long-term environmental harm; (3) the Secretary of Labor, acting through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, to provide grants to state and local law enforcement for specified training and equipment acquisition; (4) the EPA Administrator to study the impact of methamphetamine laboratory operation on the environment; and (5) the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study contamination issues. Amends: (1) the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants to educate students on prevention and treatment of methamphetamine abuse; (2) the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to provide treatment; and (3) the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include among permissible grant projects under the "cops on the beat" program hiring personnel and purchasing equipment for enforcement, prosecution, and environmental cleanup. Urges the President to seek commitments from the Canadian government to stem the availability of pseudoephedrine in Canada and its illegal importation into the United States.

Spinach Research and Recovery Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Spinach Research and Recovery Act of 2007 - Authorizes additional FY2008 appropriations for conducting and supporting applied research to enhance the safety of perishable agricultural commodities for consumers for: (1) the Agricultural Research Service: (2) the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; and (3) the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make payments (not to exceed 75% of the value of the unmarketed spinach crop) to growers and first handlers of fresh spinach that were unable to market spinach crops as a result of the Food and Drug Administration Public Health Advisory issued on September 14, 2006.

Recognizing the public service of Archbishop Patrick Flores.

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Recognizes Archbishop Patrick Flores for: (1) his leadership in improving the opportunities of Hispanics in the United States; (2) his 34 years serving the diverse and growing needs of the Archdiocese of San Antonio as bishop; and (3) a life of public service in the areas of civil rights, health, and education.

High School Sports Information Collection Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2007

High School Sports Information Collection Act of 2007 - Amends the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to direct the Statistics Commissioner (of the National Center for Education Statistics in the Institute of Education Sciences in the Department of Education) to collect information from coeducational secondary schools with respect to equality in their athletic programs. Requires such information to include total budget and expenditures for each team, season and postseason schedules and successes, as well as identification of: (1) each participant's gender, race, and ethnicity; and (2) each coach's gender and qualifications.

Student Borrower Bill of Rights Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2007

Student Borrower Bill of Rights Act of 2007 - Urges the Department of Education to enforce vigorously rules requiring lenders to complete lender verification certificates in a timely manner for borrowers seeking to consolidate loans. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require specified loan participants under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and Federal Perkins Loan programs to disclose to each national credit bureau organization any on-time payments made for such loans and their status as student loans. Requires FFEL consolidation loan borrowers or lenders to pay the Department 1% of the balance owed on the sum of such loans to obtain a subsequent FFEL consolidation loan. Allows borrowers to refinance Federal Direct Consolidation Loans. Creates a student borrower bill of rights. Requires the Secretary to limit a federal student loan borrower's monthly payments on the basis of the borrower's income. Revises the requirement that the Secretary discharge the liability of a permanently and totally disabled borrower by repaying the amount owed on the loan. Requires such a discharge even if a borrower, although not permanently and totally disabled, is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable impairment which can be expected to result in death or last at least 60 continuous months. Amends federal bankruptcy law to allow discharge of certain educational benefit overpayments, repayments, and student loan debt. Directs the Secretary to study the interest rates and fees charged to private student loan borrowers. Limits the collection fee on defaulted federal student loans and the total interest and fees that can be imposed on such loan borrowers. Requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that enroll students receiving assistance, and tout the employment prospects of their graduates, to make information publicly available concerning graduates' employment, earnings, and loan defaults. Establishes an appeals and settlement process for federal student loan borrowers who suffer economic losses from violation of their rights. Makes IHEs liable to a federal student loan borrower for the total amount of a student loan if they provide specified prohibited incentives to admissions officers to secure student enrollments or financial aid. Prohibits participating IHEs from causing unnecessary loan processing delays for borrowers who use lenders they do not recommend or suggest.

GRAD Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2007

Graduation Really Achieves Dreams Act or the GRAD Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award a grant to Project GRAD USA, a nonprofit educational organization for improving high school graduation and college attendance and completion rates for disadvantaged students, to provide technical assistance and support through subgrants to existing and new programs that implement a set of integrated education reform services. Requires the grantee to select only subgrantees that serve a substantial number or percentage of low-income students. Requires the programs to identify one or more groups of public schools at which services will be provided through a feeder pattern through which elementary and secondary schools channel students having participated in program services into an identified high school. Requires program services to include: (1) research-based programs in reading, mathematics, and classroom management; (2) campus-based social services programs, including increasing family and community involvement in schools; (3) a college access program, including providing college scholarships for students who meet established criteria, increasing student and family college awareness, and assisting students to apply for college financial aid; and (4) other services the grantee identifies as necessary.

High School Athletics Accountability Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2007

High School Athletics Accountability Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to direct coeducational elementary and secondary schools, if they participate in any ESEA program, to: (1) report certain information on equality in their school athletic programs to the Commissioner for Educational Statistics; and (2) make such information available to their students and potential students, upon request, and to the public.