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Bill· SS. 2763 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2002
Clean, Learn, Educate, Abolish, Neutralize, and Undermine Production of Methamphetamines Act of 2002 (CLEAN-UP Meth Act) - Authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to carry out environmental cleanup and remediation on Federal lands contaminated from illegal methamphetamine manufacture. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate as hazardous byproducts of methamphetamine production; (2) the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration to list byproducts likely to cause long-term environmental harm; (3) the Secretary of Labor to provide grants to local law enforcement; (4) the EPA Administrator to study methamphetamine laboratory operation impacts 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 and the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants for educational programs and treatment, respectively; (2) the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to permit hiring police personnel and purchasing equipment; (3) the Controlled Substances Act to eliminate the regulatory exemption for over-the-counter pseudoephedrine product sales; and (4) the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996 regarding court consideration of good faith efforts to prevent sales violations. Urges the President to seek commitments from the Canadian Government regarding pseudoephedrine availability in Canada and its importation into the United States. Directs the Attorney General to study ephedrine product theft.
Bill· SS. 2764 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2002
Tobacco Livelihood and Economic Assistance for Our Farmers Act of 2002 - Amends, and repeals, specified agricultural Acts to eliminate tobacco quota and price support programs, including no net cost provisions. Sets forth transition provisions, including provision of compensation to eligible quota holders. Continues Federal crop insurance for tobacco producers. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Agriculture to establish in the Department of Agriculture the Tobacco Quality Board; and (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to assess fees on tobacco product manufacturers and importers that sell tobacco products in U.S. domestic commerce. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority to tobacco products, with exceptions for certain health-or disease treatment-related uses. Sets forth provisions respecting: (1) adulterated and misbranded tobacco products; (2) required health information; (3) registration and recordkeeping; (4) control of tobacco products; (5) performance standards; (6) remedies; (7) premarket review; (8) judicial review; (9) reduced risk tobacco products; (10) access and marketing restrictions; (11) mandatory disclosures; (12) testing; and (13) examinations and investigations. Amends the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act and the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986, respectively, to revise cigarette and smokeless tobacco labeling and advertising warning provisions. Amends the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act to: (1) revise the definition of "cigarette"; and (2) direct the Secretary to determine whether cigarette labeling and advertising shall be required to provide tar, nicotine, and other smoke constituent information.
Bill· SS. 2758 (107th)reported
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2002
Access to High Quality Child Care Act - 2002 ACCESS Act - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBGA) to extend the authorization of appropriations, and to revise or set forth provisions relating to: (1) lead agencies; (2) State plan requirements; (3) activities to improve the quality of child care; (4) increased reimbursement rates; (5) administration and enforcement; (6) data about families receiving subsidies; (7) child care research and data; (8) activities for infants, toddlers, and children in other special populations; (9) resource and referral services; and (10) funds for Indian tribes. Federal Employees Child Care Act - Directs the Administrator of General Services to: (1) establish health, safety, and facility standards and compliance requirements for child care in executive branch facilities; (2) issue regulations requiring a child care facility to comply with standards of a child care accreditation entity; and (3) establish an interagency council to facilitate cooperation and sharing of best practices. Prescribes accreditation requirements for child care services in the House of Representatives, the Library of Congress, the Senate, and the U.S. Courts. Revises the criteria for children permitted child care and related services in Federal buildings, extending eligibility to children of Federal employees or on-site Federal contractors, or dependent children who live with such employees or contractors. Authorizes agreements, where necessary, with non-Federal, licensed, and accredited child care facilities, or planned facilities that will become licensed and accredited. Permits a Federal agency to conduct a pilot project to test innovative approaches to providing more cost-effective alternative forms of child care assistance for Federal employees. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award competitive grants to assist eligible intermediaries to provide technical and financial assistance to eligible recipients to pay the Federal matching share of costs of acquisition, construction, or improvement of center-based or home-based child care facilities or equipment, or for the improvement of related management and business practices. Book Stamp Act - Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish a grant program (based on certain State allocations under CCDBGA) to promote child literacy and improve children's access to books at home and in early learning and other child care programs, by making books available through such programs. Early Care and Education Act - Directs the Secretaries of Education and of HHS to: (1) allot incentive grants to States to develop or enhance high-quality systems of early child care and early education; (2) award bonus grants to States for demonstrated improvement in such care and education; and (3) establish an information clearinghouse.
Bill· HRH.R. 5164 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2002
Community Protection and Response Act of 2002 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Act) to include a terrorist attack, dispersion of radioactive or other contaminants, dispersion of hazardous substances, or other catastrophic event as a "major disaster" eligible for relief under the Act. Includes as a "private nonprofit facility" for purposes of damages coverage in a major disaster private for-profit telecommunications, phone services, and utilities when losses occur during a homeland security event and are not covered by insurance. Authorizes the President, at the request of a State governor, to declare that a major disaster constitutes a homeland security event and is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capacity of the affected State and local government. Provides specified Federal assistance under the Act upon such a declaration, including reimbursement and grant assistance for lost compensation, sustained losses, and required repairs. Includes as critical services under the Act education systems, providers of counseling, and providers of assistance to the homeless. Removes the $5 million limit on community disaster loans provided under the Act. Requires or provides for: (1) standards for reporting information concerning disasters involving homeland security events; (2) a special commission to review air quality following a homeland security event; (3) guidelines concerning health risks associated with the release of materials following a homeland security event and associated monitoring and analysis; and (4) grants for data collection during public health emergencies, research on assisting victims, and advance preparation for public health emergencies.
Bill· SS. 2746 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2002
First Responders Support Act of 2002 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate in each State at least one employee of the Department of Homeland Security to serve as that State's Homeland Security Liaison Officer and to provide coordination between the Department and State and local first responders. Requires such an Officer to: (1) provide training, information, and education on homeland security for State and local entities; (2) identify homeland security functions in which the Federal role is duplicative of the State or local role and recommend ways to decrease or eliminate inefficiencies; and (3) assist the Department in identifying and implementing State and local homeland security objectives. Requires the Secretary to appoint a Chief Homeland Security Liaison Officer who shall: (1) coordinate the activities of such State Officers; and (2) prepare annual reports on State and local priorities, a needs assessment that identifies duplicative homeland security functions, recommendations regarding program creation, expansion, or elimination to assist State and local entities in carrying out functions under the Department, and proposals to increase the coordination of Department priorities within and between States. Establishes: (1) an Interagency Committee on First Responders that shall ensure coordination among the Federal agencies involved with State, local and community-based law enforcement, fire and rescue operations, and medical and emergency relief services.; and (2) an Advisory Council for such Committee.
Bill· HRH.R. 5133 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2002
Teacher Recruitment Act of 2002 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish new programs for teacher student loan forgiveness, under the guaranteed loan program and the direct loan program. Makes eligible for such student loan forgiveness any new borrower on or after October 1, 1998, who is: (1) employed as a full-time teacher in a public elementary or secondary school in an economically disadvantaged or depressed and underserved rural area; (2) State-certified or State-licensed to teach, and in compliance with State or local accountability standards; and (3) not in default on the loan. Directs the Secretary to establish a formula that ensures fairness and equality for applicants in the selection of borrowers for such loan repayment under this section, based on the amount available. Limits the portion of the outstanding loan obligation which the Secretary may repay to 15 percent for the first or second year of such service, 20 percent for the third or fourth year, and 30 percent for the fifth year.
Bill· HRH.R. 5139 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2002
Living Well with Fatal Chronic Illness Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to add a new part D (Purchase of Medicare Benefits by Certain Caregivers Age 55-to-65 Years of Age). Makes eligible for both part A and part B Medicare benefits during a specified period certain individuals 55 or older who are caring on a full-time basis for family members who are Medicare beneficiaries requiring substantial supervision due to severe cognitive impairment or are unable to perform at least two activities of daily living. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to determine and to provide for payment and collection of a monthly premium. Creates in the Treasury the Medicare Caregiver Trust Fund to hold collected premiums. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide an annual long-term care credit of $3000 per applicable person for whom a taxpayer is an eligible caregiver. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to carry out research, demonstration, and education programs toward improving the delivery of appropriate health and support services for patients with fatal chronic illnesses. Requires the Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Director of the National Institutes of Health to expand activities with respect to fatal chronic illness. Requires the Secretary to develop pilot programs for the treatment for fatal chronic illness. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the delivery of appropriate treatment services to patients with fatal chronic illness under health care programs of the Department of Veterans Services.
Bill· HRH.R. 5113 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2002
Rural Health Training Incentive Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Office of Rural Health Policy, to award grants to accredited schools of medicine or nursing for demonstration programs to encourage more health professionals to practice in rural areas. Makes grants available on a matching basis for three years to five schools. Requires grants to address youth recruitment, training, and the expansion of the network of rural training tracks in the health professions. Earmarks one grant for a program for physicians in family medicine that includes a regional consortium of family medicine residency programs with a residency rural training program and one grant for nurses. Gives priority to schools with on-site rural training residencies or rotations and rural recruitment and placement programs.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 440 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2002
Expresses the sense of the Congress that schools in the United States should honor the contributions of individuals from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands by including such contributions in the teaching of U.S. history.
Bill· HRH.R. 5091 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2002
Canceling Loans to Allow School Systems to Attract Classroom Teachers Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for additional amounts of student loan forgiveness for certain teachers. Directs the Secretary of Education, in making such additional repayments, to give priority to teachers of special education in elementary and secondary schools.
Bill· HRH.R. 5104 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2002
Women's Autoimmune Diseases Research and Prevention Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to instruct the Autoimmune Disease Coordinating Committee for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to include in the plan for NIH activities: (1) research concerning the etiology and causes of autoimmune diseases in all women, with priority given to environmental factors; (2) the development of information and education programs on risk factors for women, such as genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors; and (3) outreach programs at community health centers to historically underserved populations of women.
Law· SS. 2712 (107th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2002
Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 - Authorizes the President to provide assistance for Afghanistan through 2005 for the following activities: (1) urgent humanitarian needs; (2) repatriation and resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons; (3) counternarcotics efforts; (4) reestablishment of food security, rehabilitation of the agriculture sector, improvement in health conditions, and the reconstruction of basic infrastructure; (5) reestablishment of Afghanistan as a viable nation-state through support for the development and expansion of democratic and market-based institutions; and (6) support for the establishment of a market economy, private financial institutions, the development of a telecommunications infrastructure, and trade and commercial links. Urges the President to: (1) designate within the Department of State a coordinator for such assistance and U.S. interests in Afghanistan; (2) utilize the expertise of Afghan-Americans; (3) encourage the donation of manufacturing equipment by U.S. businesses for the reconstruction of Afghanistan; and (4) utilize research conducted by U.S. land grant universities and the technical expertise of professionals at such institutions, particularly in the agricultural and rural development areas. Expresses the sense of Congress that, during the transition to fully representative government, the U.S. should support: (1) the development of a civilian-controlled and centrally-governed standing Afghanistan army that respects human rights and prohibits the use of children as soldiers; (2) the creation and training of a professional civilian police force that respects human rights; and (3) a multinational security force in Afghanistan. Authorizes the President to provide and direct the drawdown of defense articles and services and military education to the Government of Afghanistan. Prohibits U.S. involvement in poppy cultivation or illicit narcotics growth, production, or trafficking in Afghanistan.
Bill· SS. 2711 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2002
Indian Programs Reauthorization and Technical Amendments Act of 2002 - Reauthorizes appropriations for specified programs under the following Acts: (1) the Bosque Redondo Memorial Act; (2) the Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act of 1974 (relocation housing); (3) the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (including youth, urban Indians, and substance abuse programs); (4) the Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1986 (including training, education, emergency shelters, and source eradication); (5) the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Detention Act; (6) the Native American Programs Act of 1974; (7) Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act (including health scholarships); and (8) the Four Corners Interpretive Center Act (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah). Allows any restricted lands on the reservation of, and held in trust for, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation to be leased by the Indian owners, with the Secretary of the Interior's approval, for terms of not to exceed 99 years for public, religious, educational, recreational, residential, business, or certain other purposes. Amends the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians Recognition Act concerning the treatment of land for trust purposes. Amends the Navaho-Hopi Relocation Settlement Act of 1974 to require an impact study. Amends the Ponca Restoration Act to designate Douglas and Sarpy Counties, Nebraska, and Pottawattamie County, Iowa, as the Ponca Health and Wellness Clinic Service Unit. Changes the report which identifies which lands are declared to be held by the United States in trust for the benefit of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Modifies the Pueblo de Cochiti settlement concerning the Cochiti Wetlands Solution. Amends the Chippewa Cree Tribe of The Rocky Boy's Reservation Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement and Water Supply Enhancement Act of 1999 to extend from three to five years the period during which court approval must be final before the Compact by the United States is declared null and void. Amends the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 concerning the disposal of Oil Shale Reserve Numbered 2. Prohibits the transfer of specified lands in Riverside County, California, held in fee by the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, until the Secretary of the Interior renders a final decision on a specified fee-to-trust application. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a water feasibility study for the Quinault Indian Nation, Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Waives repayment of expert assistance loans to the Pueblo of Santo Domingo. Declares that the Trinity River Mainstream Fishery Restoration record of decision, concurred to by the Hoopa Valley Tribe, is legally compliant. Revises the powers of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board concerning trademarks for Indian arts and crafts. Amends the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 to specify an exemption for tribally controlled postsecondary vocational and technical institutions. Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act concerning its relationship to the Equal Access to Justice Act. Revises the Indian Land Consolidation Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 5076 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2002
Early Intervention Improvement Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to revise provisions for early intervention programs for children under age three (infants and toddlers with disabilities, part C). Directs the Secretary of Education to reserve certain funds for incentive grants to reward States meeting performance objectives under part C, as follows: (1) 75 percent of such grants for high-quality programs in general; and (2) 25 percent for high-quality programs that make at-risk infants and toddlers eligible and that provide such services to at least three and one-half percent of children under age three in the State. Revises provisions for transition from part C to part B (Assistance for Education of All Children with Disabilities). Makes permanent the authorization of appropriations for part C. (The current authorization ends after FY 2002). Revises part C eligibility conditions to include those in families where there is diagnosed serious maternal depression, confirmed parental substance abuse, or documented family violence (including child abuse). Requires all abused or neglected children under age three to be referred to the State's child find system for evaluation and, if appropriate, receipt of early intervention services. Includes parent-child and family therapy among part C services. Includes early intervention personnel training and professional development among State and national activities. Directs the Secretary to make grants for such pre- and in-service training and development. Requires the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council under IDEA to study and report on mechanisms for providing service coordination from birth through age five for infants, toddlers, and children served under part C and preschool grant provisions.
Bill· HRH.R. 5072 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2002
Fed Up Higher Education Technical Amendments of 2002 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), and the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, to make various technical revisions that incorporate the results of the Fed Up Initiative to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to access to student aid programs. Revises the definition of institution of higher education (IHE) to include one that admits as regular students those who have been home-schooled (as well as high school graduates or those with equivalency certificates), thus providing that such home-schooled students are eligible for HEA student aid. Makes students attending nonprofit foreign veterinary schools eligible for the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) student loan program if the school does not meet certain requirements, but only if: (1) it was certified as eligible by the Secretary of Education; and (2) students complete their clinical training at an approved veterinary school in the United States. Allows IHEs to make mandatory reports on teacher preparation program quality by electronic means. Eliminates a requirement that new forbearance agreements between lenders and borrowers be in writing; but requires lenders to notify borrowers of their terms. Allows financial aid professionals to use professional judgment in reevaluating the student financial need of a ward of the court. Requires students withdrawing from an IHE to return only HEA title IV grant aid amounts exceeding 50 percent of the total (if more than $50). Permits Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to apply for Federal HSI grants without waiting two years between applications. Authorizes the use of HEA title VII funds for: (1) Federal scholarship aid to low-income and minority students for summer institutes to prepare for law school; and (2) Thurgood Marshall Fellowships to attend law school. Provides that an IHE is in compliance with requirements to provide students with certain information, including voter registration material, if it does so through an e-mail message or an Internet address. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report on teacher preparation requirements of States and IHEs.
Bill· HRH.R. 5078 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2002
Children's Mental Health Service Expansion Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish programs of educational loan forgiveness and scholarships to encourage qualified individuals to provide mental health services to children and adolescents. Sets forth qualifications, including education and licensing requirements. Limits the program to U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. Grants priority according to financial need, methodology, and willingness to work with high priority populations in the public sector. Treats such grants as equivalent to those of the National Health Service Corps Programs. Authorizes additional grants for clinical and graduate and paraprofessional training to accredited schools and State-licensed mental health organizations, respectively. Gives priority to applicants with the demonstrated ability to collect data on the numbers trained, certain methodology, and programs to increase the numbers of professionals and paraprofessionals serving high priority populations. Requires training to prioritize cultural competency. Amends the Social Security Act to increase the number of child and adolescent psychiatry residents permitted to be paid under the Medicare Graduate Medical Education Program. Extends the Medicare Board eligibility period for residents and fellows in child and adolescent psychiatry. Directs the Administrator to study and report to Congress on the distribution and need of child mental health service professionals.
Bill· HRH.R. 5074 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2002
Technology Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology Act of 2002 - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2003 through 2005 to the Secretary of Commerce for: (1) activities of the Under Secretary for Technology and the Office of Technology Policy; (2) the Scientific and Technical Research and Services laboratory activities of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); (3) the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program; (4) NIST facilities construction and maintenance; and (5) NIST Industrial Technology Services activities. Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act concerning the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) to: (1) authorize the participation of universities and nonprofit organizations in ATP joint ventures; (2) allow vesting of intellectual property developed in a joint venture in any participant; (3) prohibit ATP contracts from being awarded unless they may remove a scientific or technological barrier to product development; and (4) allow the use of industry and peer review of project proposals. Enterprise Integration Act of 2002 - Requires the Director to establish an initiative for advancing enterprise integration within the United States. Provides for related assessments, plans and reports, and authorized initiative activities. Fair Play in Sports Act of 2002 - Directs NIST to: (1) establish a research program for testing performance-enhancing substances the use of which is prohibited in the Olympic Games; (2) provide peer review and assistance to the United States Anti-Doping Agency with respect to the laboratory accreditation process and testing procedures delineated in the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Movement Anti-Doping Code; and (3) establish a research program on the long-term consequences of the use of performance-enhancing substances.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 471 (107th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2002
Recognizes the significant contributions of Paul Ecke, Jr. to the poinsettia flower industry. Extends condolences to the Ecke Family and to the floral industry on the death of Paul Ecke, Jr., who was a philanthropist, and advocate for education, and a warm, loving, and brilliant human being.
Bill· SS. 2708 (107th)open
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2002
Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2003 - Makes appropriations for FY 2003 for the Department of the Interior for: (1) the Bureau of Land Management (including $110 million for emergency rehabilitation and wildfire suppression); (2) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; (3) the National Park Service; (4) the U.S. Geological Survey; (5) the Minerals Management Service; (6) the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; (7) the Bureau of Indian Affairs; (8) departmental offices for insular affairs; (9) departmental management; (10) the Office of the Solicitor; (11) the Office of Inspector General; (12) the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians; and (13) natural resource damage assessment and restoration. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the Tribal School Construction Demonstration Program to provide grants to Indian tribes for the construction of tribally controlled schools. Makes appropriations for FY 2003 for: (1) the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service (including $290 million for emergency rehabilitation, pre-suppression, and wildfire suppression activities); (2) the Department of Energy for specified activities, including fossil energy research and development activities and energy conservation activities; and (3) the Department of Health and Human Services for the Indian Health Service. Makes appropriations for FY 2003 for specified related agencies, including: (1) the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation; (2) the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; (3) the Smithsonian Institution; (4) the National Gallery of Art; (5) the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; (6) the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; (7) the National Endowment for the Arts; (8) the National Endowment for the Humanities; (9) the Commission of Fine Arts; (10) the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; (11) the National Capital Planning Commission; (12) the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; and (13) the Presidio Trust.
Bill· SS. 2698 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
Building Our Children's Future Act of 2002 - Establishes a grant program for renovation of schools. Directs the Secretary of Education to allot such grants to States using an allocation formula based on part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Requires reservation of specified amounts for direct Federal grants to: (1) local educational agencies (LEAs) that received impact aid basic support payments, and had eligible federally-connected students as more than half of their enrollment, during the preceding fiscal year, for construction, renovation, or repair; and (2) LEAs in the outlying areas, for renovation or repair of high-need schools. Requires a State's allotment to be used for competitive subgrants to LEAs, as follows. Requires 75 percent to be for school renovation or repair, with priorities for: (1) schools damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster; and (2) high-poverty or high-growth schools, as determined by the State. Requires the remaining 25 percent to be for carrying out part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or for improving technology in schools.
Bill· SS. 2699 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
America's Better Classroom Act of 2002 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a limited credit for qualified public school modernization bonds (qualified school construction bonds and qualified zone academy bonds). Amends the General Education Provisions Act to provide for the application of certain labor standards to projects financed under this Act. Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish provisions concerning employment and training activities related to the construction or reconstruction of public school facilities.
Bill· HRH.R. 5036 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
Even Start Quality Improvement Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to reserve certain funds for grants and contracts to eligible organizations to provide special training, technical assistance, and professional development to eligible entities implementing Even Start programs and to the staff of such programs. Directs the Secretary to contract with a qualified entity with experience and expertise in family literacy services to conduct a study and assess the impact of the William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program on children who participated in it and who are in the third or fourth grade during the study, and on their parents and other adults who participated with them.
Bill· HRH.R. 5040 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act of 2002 or the Melina Bill - Directs: (1) the Centers for Disease Control, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to jointly study the health effects of indoor mold growth and toxic mold; (2) EPA to promulgate standards for preventing, detecting, and remediating indoor mold growth; and (3) EPA, NIH, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to sponsor related public education programs. Directs: (1) rental property lessors to conduct annual indoor mold inspections; and (2) the Secretary of HUD and the Administrator of EPA to promulgate mold hazard disclosure regulations with respect to housing offered for sale or lease. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish, with respect to indoor mold in public housing, inspection requirements for existing housing and construction standards for new housing; and (2) establish model construction standards and techniques for mold prevention in new buildings. Establishes an indoor/toxic mold inspection requirement with respect to federally made or insured mortgages. Amends the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993 to provide for industry standards development with respect to building products that are designed to retard mold development. Directs the Administrator of EPA to make grants to States and local governments for mold growth remediation efforts in buildings owned or leased by such governments, including schools and multifamily dwellings. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an annual tax credit for 60 percent of non-reimbursed mold inspection and remediation expenses ($50,000 annual maximum) paid or incurred by a taxpayer. Requires the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to: (1) establish and carry out a toxic mold insurance program, with priority for one-to-four-family residential properties; and (2) establish in the Treasury a National Toxic Mold Hazard Insurance Fund. Authorizes the Director to assist qualifying insurers to form a federally-assisted toxic mold hazard insurance pool. Provides for Federal operation of such program under specified circumstances. Authorizes State waiver of income, resource, and other Medicaid requirements for an individual whose health has been adversely affected by toxic mold exposure, and who lacks adequate medical insurance coverage.
Bill· HRH.R. 5033 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
District of Columbia Student Opportunity Scholarship Act of 2002 - Authorizes the establishment of the District of Columbia Scholarship Corporation as a private, nonprofit corporation to administer, publicize, and evaluate a District scholarship program and determine elementary and secondary student and school eligibility. Establishes a District of Columbia Scholarship Fund, to be administered by the Secretary of the Treasury. Provides for a seven-member Corporation Board of Directors, with six members appointed by the President from House and Senate nominees, and one member appointed by the District Mayor. Authorizes the Corporation to award tuition scholarships and enhanced achievement scholarships to District students in kindergarten through grade 12 with family incomes not exceeding 185 percent of the national poverty line. Allows scholarships to be used for tuition, fees, and appropriate transportation to public, private, or independent schools (or beyond-school-hours enhancement programs) in the District and specified neighboring counties and cities in Maryland and Virginia. Requires the following order of scholarship award priorities to students who: (1) have received such a scholarship in a previous year (in the program's second and subsequent years); (2) District school or kindergarten enrollees; (3) victims of school violence; and (4) other eligible students. Requires use of a lottery whenever amounts are insufficient to provide a scholarship for each student in one of these categories. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report on the District scholarship program. Provides for expedited judicial review of challenges to such program.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 432 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
Expresses support for the review by the Government of Saudi Arabia of its education curriculum. Calls on such Government to: (1) ensure that such review is thorough, objective, and public; and (2) reform such curriculum in a manner that promotes tolerance, develops civil society, and encourages functionality in the global economy.
Bill· HRH.R. 5018 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Capitol Police Retention, Recruitment, and Authorization Act of 2002 - Requires the Capitol Police Board to increase by five percent the annual rate of basic compensation for officers and members of the Capitol Police, except that for officers above the rank of captain the increase shall be made at a rate determined by the Board at its discretion (but not to exceed five percent). Authorizes the Board to compensate newly appointed officers, members, and employees at an annual rate exceeding the lowest rate of compensation otherwise applicable. Amends the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002 to provide additional compensation for each Capitol Police officer assigned to another specialty assignment designated by the Chief of the Capitol Police. Requires: (1) limits on the amount of premium pay which may be earned by officers and members during emergencies to be applied by the Board on an annual and not pay period basis; and (2) the Board to provide that if an officer or member completes three years of employment he or she shall receive eight hours of annual leave per pay period. Requires the Board, under certain conditions, to establish a tuition reimbursement program to assist officers and members in higher education costs relating to law-enforcement. Authorizes the Board to pay a one-time bonus to each participant upon completion of the course of study involved and to each officer, member, or civilian employee who recruits a new officer or member. Limits the total number of full-time equivalent positions (including members and civilian employees) to 1,981. Provides for a member's and/or officer's disposal of firearms and use of Capitol Police vehicles to transport police dogs. Expresses the sense of Congress that, to the greatest extent possible consistent with the mission of the Capitol Police, the Chief should seek to deploy the Police's human and other resources in a manner maximizing opportunities for individual officers: (1) to be trained for, and to acquire and maintain proficiency in, all aspects of the Police's responsibilities; and (2) to rotate regularly among different posts and duties, in order to utilize fully the skills and talents of officers, enhance the appeal of their work, and ensure the highest state of readiness.
Bill· HRH.R. 5019 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act of 2002 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to add a new part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) under which each individual who is entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) or eligible to enroll under Medicare part B (Supplemental Medical Insurance) is entitled to obtain qualified prescription drug coverage. Outlines standard coverage benefit packages for FY 2005. Includes for the standard package a monthly premium of $25, an annual deductible of $100, a coinsurance of 20 percent and an annual out-of-pocket spending limit of $2,000. Directs the Secretary to negotiate fair prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers. Provides for accelerated generic drug competition. Amends SSA title XVIII part C (Medicare+Choice) with respect to: (1) inclusion of the costs of certain military services to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries in the calculation of Medicare+Choice payment rates; (2) specialized Medicare+Choice plans for special needs beneficiaries; and (3) continuous open enrollment and disenrollment at any time. Revises requirements for Medicare: (1) part A concerning rural health care, inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility services, and hospices; (2) part B concerning physicians services and other services; and (3) part A and B concerning home health services and direct graduate medical education. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) with respect to certain Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotment adjustments and the Q-I1 program. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to add requirements for interstate Internet sellers of prescription drugs. Establishes within the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health the Office of Rare Diseases. Amends the Public Health Services Act with respect to promotion of the pharmacist profession.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 466 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in schools and other public places is constitutional; (2) the decision of the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals is wrong, erroneous, deplorable, should be overturned by the United States Supreme Court; and (3) Americans of every age should be encouraged to begin their day by reciting the following Pledge: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 430 (107th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Expresses the sense of Congress that it opposes the ruling of a Federal appeals court that the Pledge of Allegiance is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion and cannot be recited in schools, because the Pledge is a deeply embedded symbol of our Nation and the freedoms we hold so dear.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 428 (107th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, including the phrase `One Nation Under God', is constitutional under the First Amendment to the Constitution; and (2) the Supreme Court, accordingly, should uphold the constitutionality of such practices.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 429 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Urges the establishment of a National Sarcoidosis Awareness Day on September 24, 2002, to encourage public education on sarcoidosis and support research for better treatment options and a cure.
Bill· SS. 2675 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2002
Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education Pilot Program Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a pilot program of matching grants for developing, demonstrating, or disseminating information on practices, methods, or techniques relating to environmental education and training in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Makes eligible for such grants public elementary or secondary schools and nonprofit environmental or educational organizations located in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New York Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia.
Law· HRH.R. 5010 (107th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2002
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2003 - Appropriates funds for FY 2003 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military personnel; (2) operation and maintenance (including for the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, environmental restoration, overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid, former Soviet Union threat reduction, and defense logistical and security support for international sporting competitions); (3) procurement (including for shipbuilding and conversion, and purchases under the Defense Production Act of 1950); (4) research, development, test and evaluation; (5) revolving and management funds; (6) the Defense Health Program; (7) chemical agents and munitions destruction; (8) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities; (9) the Office of the Inspector General; (10) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund; (11) the Intelligence Community Management Account; (12) payment to the Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance, Remediation, and Environmental Restoration Fund; and (13) the National Security Education Trust Fund. Specifies authorized, restricted, and prohibited uses of appropriated funds. Rescinds specified funds from various accounts under prior defense appropriations Acts. Reduces the total amount appropriated in this Act to reduce excess funded carryover and to reflect savings attributable to: (1) favorable foreign currency fluctuations; (2) improvements in the management of advisory and assistance services contracted by the military departments; and (3) improved supervision in determining appropriate Government purchase card purchases. Authorizes DOD to terminate the Crusader program.
Bill· HRH.R. 5003 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2002
Capitol Police Retention, Recruitment, and Authorization Act of 2002 - Requires the Capitol Police Board to increase by five percent the annual rate of basic compensation for officers and members of the Capitol Police, except that for officers above the rank of captain the increase shall be made at a rate determined by the Board at its discretion (but not to exceed five percent). Authorizes the Board to compensate newly appointed officers, members, and employees at an annual rate exceeding the lowest rate of compensation otherwise applicable. Amends the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002 to provide additional compensation for each Capitol Police officer assigned to another specialty assignment designated by the Chief of the Capitol Police. Removes the annual cap on such amount. Requires: (1) limits on the amount of premium pay which may be earned by officers and members during emergencies to be applied by the Board on an annual and not pay period basis; and (2) the Board to provide that if an officer or member completes three years of employment he or she shall receive eight hours of annual leave per pay period. Provides, with limitations, that: (1) neither the Federal Civil Service Retirement System nor the Federal Employees Retirement System shall apply to any reemployed annuitant performing service as an officer or member; and (2) such annuitant shall be exempted from the Systems by this Act shall not become subject to them. Requires the Board to establish a tuition reimbursement program to assist officers and members in higher education costs relating to law-enforcement. Authorizes the Board to: (1) pay a one-time bonus to each participant upon completion of the course of study involved and to each officer, member, or civilian employee who recruits a new officer or member; and (2) lease facilities and property for Police use. Limits the total number of full-time equivalent positions (including members and civilian employees) to 1,981. Increases, temporarily, the mandatory retirement age for a member from 57 to 59. Provides for a member's and/or officer's disposal of firearms and use of Capitol Police vehicles to transport police dogs. Expresses the sense of Congress that, to the greatest extent possible consistent with the mission of the Capitol Police, the Chief should seek to deploy the Police's human and other resources in a manner maximizing opportunities for individual officers: (1) to be trained for, and to acquire and maintain proficiency in, all aspects of the Police's responsibilities; and (2) to rotate regularly among different posts and duties, in order to utilize fully the skills and talents of officers, enhance the appeal of their work, and ensure the highest state of readiness.
Law· HRH.R. 5005 (107th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2002
Homeland Security Act of 2002 - Establishes a Department of Homeland Security (HLS), as an executive department of the United States, headed by a Secretary of Homeland Security who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. States that the primary mission of HLS is to: (1) prevent terrorist attacks within the United States; (2) reduce the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism; and (3) minimize the damage, and assist in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that occur within the United States. Includes as HLS's primary responsibilities: (1) information analysis and infrastructure protection; (2) chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and related countermeasures; (3) border and transportation security; (4) emergency preparedness and response; and (5) coordination (including the provision of training and equipment) with other executive agencies, with State and local government personnel, agencies, and authorities, with the private sector, and with other entities. Places responsibility with HLS for carrying out other functions of entities transferred to it as provided by law. Creates: (1) a Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, who shall be the Secretary's first assistant for purposes of details; (2) an Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection; (3) an Under Secretary for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Countermeasures; (4) an Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security; (5) an Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response; (6) an Under Secretary for Management; and (7) not more than six Assistant Secretaries. Establishes an Inspector General (to be appointed under the Inspector General Act of 1978), and enlists the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Director of the Secret Service as well, to assist the Secretary in the performance of his functions. Includes as the primary responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection: (1) receiving and analyzing law enforcement information, intelligence, and other information in order to understand the nature and scope of the terrorist threat to the American homeland and to detect and identify potential threats of terrorism within the United States; (2) comprehensively assessing the vulnerabilities of the key resources and critical infrastructures in the United States; (3) integrating relevant information, intelligence analyses, and vulnerability assessments (whether provided or produced by the Department or others) to identify protective priorities and support protective measures by the Department, other executive agencies, State and local government personnel, agencies, and authorities, the private sector, and other entities; (4) developing a comprehensive national plan for securing the key resources and critical infrastructures in the United States; (5) taking or seeking to effect necessary measures to protect the key resources and critical infrastructures in the United States; (6) administering the Homeland Security Advisory System, exercising primary responsibility for public threat advisories, and providing specific warning information to State and local government personnel, agencies, and authorities, the private sector, other entities, and the public, as well as advice about appropriate protective actions and countermeasures; and (7) reviewing, analyzing, and making recommendations for improvements in the policies and procedures governing the sharing of law enforcement, intelligence, and other information relating to homeland security within the Federal government and between it and State and local government personnel, agencies, and authorities. Transfers to the Secretary the functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the following entities: (1) the National Infrastructure Protection Center of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (other than the Computer Investigations and Operations Section); (2) the National Communications System of the Department of Defense; (3) the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office of the Department of Commerce; (4) the Computer Security Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (5) the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center of the Department of Energy; and (6) the Federal Computer Incident Response Center of the General Services Administration. Gives the Secretary access to all reports, assessments, and analytical information relating to threats of terrorism in the United States and to other areas of HLS responsibility, and to all information concerning infrastructure or other vulnerabilities of the United States to terrorism, whether or not it has been analyzed, that may be collected, possessed, or prepared by any executive agency, except as otherwise directed by the President. Requires all executive agencies promptly to provide to the Secretary: (1) all reports, assessments, and analytical information relating to threats of terrorism in the United States and to other areas of HLS responsibility; (2) all information concerning infrastructure or other vulnerabilities of the United States to terrorism, whether or not it has been analyzed; (3) all information relating to significant and credible threats of terrorism in the United States, whether or not it has been analyzed, if the President has granted the Secretary such access; and (4) such other material as the President may further provide. Requires the Secretary to ensure: (1) that any such material is protected from unauthorized disclosure and handled and used only for the performance of official duties; and (2) that any shared intelligence information shall be transmitted, retained, and disseminated consistent with the authority of the Director of Central Intelligence to protect intelligence sources and methods, or appropriate similar authorities of the Attorney General concerning sensitive law enforcement information. Exempts from the Privacy Act any information in the Department's possession provided voluntarily by non-Federal entities or individuals with respect to infrastructure vulnerabilities or other vulnerabilities to terrorism. Includes as the primary responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Countermeasures: (1) securing the people, infrastructures, property, resources, and systems in the United States from acts of terrorism involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons or other emerging threats; (2) conducting a national scientific research and development (R&D) program to support the mission of HLS; (3) establishing priorities for, directing, funding, and conducting national research, development, and procurement of technology and systems for preventing the importation of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and related weapons and material, and for detecting, preventing, protecting against, and responding to terrorist attacks that involve such weapons or material; and (4) establishing guidelines for State and local government efforts to develop and implement countermeasures to threats of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism, and other emerging terrorist threats. Transfers to the Secretary the functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the following entities: (1) the select agent registration enforcement programs and activities of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); (2) the National Bio-Weapons Defense Analysis Center of the Department of Defense; and (4) the Plum Island Animal Disease Center of the Department of Agriculture. Transfers to the Secretary the following programs and activities of the Department of Energy: (1) the chemical and biological national security and supporting programs and activities of the non-proliferation and verification R&D program; (2) the nuclear smuggling programs and activities, and other programs and activities directly related to homeland security, within the proliferation detection program of the non-proliferation and verification R&D program; (3) the nuclear assessment program and activities of the assessment, detection, and cooperation program of the international materials protection and cooperation program; (4) the energy security and assurance program and activities; (5) certain life sciences activities of the biological and environmental research program related to microbial pathogens; (6) the Environmental Measurements Laboratory; and (7) the advanced scientific computing research program and activities, and the intelligence program and activities, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Directs the Secretary to carry out his civilian human health-related biological, biomedical, and infectious disease defense R&D (including vaccine R&D) responsibilities, with authority to set priorities, through HHS (including the Public Health Service), under agreements with the Secretary of HHS. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer funds to the Secretary of HHS in connection with such agreements. Provides that nothing in this Act, except as specifically provided, shall confer upon the Secretary any authority to engage in warfighting, the military defense of the United States, or other traditional military activities. Includes as the primary responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security: (1) preventing the entry of terrorists and the instruments of terrorism into the United States;(2) securing the borders, territorial waters, ports, terminals, waterways, and air, land, and sea transportation systems of the United States, including managing and coordinating governmental activities at ports of entry; (3) administering the immigration and naturalization laws of the United States, including establishing rules for the granting of visas, parole, or other forms of permission to enter the United States to individuals who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents; (4) administering Federal customs laws; and (5) in carrying out the foregoing responsibilities, ensuring the speedy, orderly, and efficient flow of lawful traffic and commerce. Transfers to the Secretary the functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the following entities: (1) the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury; (2) the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Department of Justice; (3) the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture; (4) the Coast Guard of the Department of Transportation, which shall be maintained as a distinct entity within HLS; (5) the Transportation Security Administration of the Department of Transportation, including related functions of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security; and (6) the Federal Protective Service of the General Services Administration. Grants the Secretary: (1) exclusive authority, through the Secretary of State, to issue regulations with respect to, administer, and enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act and all other immigration and nationality laws relating to the functions of diplomatic and consular officers of the United States in connection with the granting or refusal of visas; and (2) authority to confer or impose upon any officer or employee of the United States, with the consent of the executive agency under whose jurisdiction such officer or employee is serving, any of these specified functions. Authorizes the Secretary of State to refuse a visa to an alien if the Secretary of State deems such refusal necessary or advisable in the interests of the United States. Includes as the primary responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response: (1) helping to ensure the preparedness of emergency response providers for terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies; (2) establishing standards for the Nuclear Incident Response Team, conducting joint and other exercises and training; (3) providing the Federal government's response to terrorist attacks and major disasters; (4) aiding recovery from terrorist attacks and major disasters; (5) building a comprehensive national incident management system with Federal, State, and local governments to respond to such attacks and disasters; (6) consolidating existing Federal government emergency response plans into a single, coordinated national response plan; and (7) developing comprehensive programs for interoperative communications technology, and their acquisition by emergency response providers. Transfers to the Secretary the functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the following entities: (1) the Federal Emergency Management Agency; (2) the Office for Domestic Preparedness of the Office of Justice Programs; (3) the National Domestic Preparedness Office of the FBI; (4) the Domestic Emergency Support Teams of the Department of Justice; (5) the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (including the Office of Emergency Preparedness, the National Disaster Medical System, and the Metropolitan Medical Response System) of HHS; and (6) the Strategic National Stockpile of HHS. Provides that at the direction of the Secretary (in connection with an actual or threatened terrorist attack, major disaster, or other emergency), the Nuclear Incident Response Team (including certain entities of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy) shall operate as an organizational unit of HLS under the Secretary's authority and control. Directs the Secretary to carry out through HHS (including the Public Health Service), under agreements with the Secretary of HHS, all biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear preparedness-related construction, renovation, and enhancement of security for research and development or other facilities owned or occupied by HHS. Directs the Secretary to carry out specified HHS public health-related activities assisting State and local government, non-Federal public and private health care facilities and providers, and public and non-profit health and educational facilities to prepare for, prevent, and respond to biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear events and public health emergencies, by means including direct services, technical assistance, communications and surveillance, education and training activities, and grants. Places the HLS Inspector General under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary with respect to audits or investigations, or the issuance of subpoenas, that require access to information concerning various specified matters including intelligence, counterintelligence, or counterterrorism matters. Transfers to the Secretary the functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Secret Service, which shall be maintained as a distinct entity within the Department. Authorizes the Secretary, in regulations prescribed jointly with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, to establish a human resources management system for the organizational units of HLS which shall be flexible, contemporary, and grounded in the public employment principles of merit and fitness. Grants the Secretary limited authority to: (1) reorganize HLS by allocating or reallocating functions within HLS and by establishing, consolidating, altering, or discontinuing organizational units within HLS; and (2) transfer funding between appropriations accounts upon 15 days notice to congressional appropriations committees. Establishes in the Department of Defense a National Bio-Weapons Defense Analysis Center whose mission is to develop countermeasures to potential attacks by terrorists using weapons of mass destruction.
Bill· SS. 2667 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2002
Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century Act - Amends the Peace Corps Act to require all recruiting of volunteers to be undertaken solely by the Peace Corps. Conditions the President's authority to detail or assign Peace Corps volunteers to certain Federal and State agencies and other entities upon a determination that such a detail or assignment does not contradict the standing of such volunteers as being independent from foreign policy-making and intelligence collection. Requires the Director of the Peace Corps, before implementing any new initiative, to consult with the Peace Corps National Advisory Council and to report to Congress on: (1) the initiative's objectives and costs, and any impact it may have on existing programs and the safety of volunteers; (2) the status of security procedures in any country in which the Peace Corps operates programs or is considering doing so; (3) student loan forgiveness programs currently available to Peace Corps volunteers; and (4) initiatives the Peace Corps intends to pursue in order to solicit requests from eligible countries where the presence of volunteers would facilitate a greater understanding of the world and of diverse cultures and systems of government, including peoples from countries with substantial Muslim populations. Requires the Director to develop a training program for all Peace Corps volunteers in the education, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases. Increases Peace Corps volunteer readjustment allowances to $275 a month. Establishes a program to award grants to private nonprofit corporations in the District of Columbia to serve as incubators for returned Peace Corps volunteers seeking to use their knowledge and expertise to undertake community-based projects.
Bill· HRH.R. 5001 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2002
Realizing the Spirit of IDEA Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to establish a method to provide outcome-based funding increases to States. Modifies and increases IDEA funding for: (1) assistance for education of children with disabilities; (2) preschool grants; (3) infants and toddlers with disabilities; (4) State program improvement grants for children with disabilities; (5) research and innovation to improve services and results for children with disabilities; (6) personnel preparation to improve services and results for children with disabilities; (7) improving early intervention, educational, and transitional services; (8) technology development, demonstration, and utilization; and (9) media services. Directs the Secretary of Education to provide, in addition to such funding assistance for education of children with disabilities, outcome-based bonus payments to States for their use for special education and other educational services for children with disabilities, including subgrants to local educational agencies. Includes among outcome-indicators for such children: (1) academic achievement, as measured on national or State assessments; and (2) rates of attendance, not-dropping-out, graduation, and postsecondary employment and education.
Bill· HRH.R. 4987 (107th)reported
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2002
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) eliminate the 15 percent reduction in payment rates under the prospective payment system for home health services; and (2) modify payment adjustments, changing to a calendar year update, and increasing payments. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish and appoint an OASIS Task Force to examine the data collection and reporting requirements under the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) required under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997; and (2) review the standards used, by fiscal intermediaries in paying for home health services under Medicare, in allowing infrequent or short duration absences from the home for individuals eligible to receive such services. Amends SSA title XVIII to extend the update limitation on certain high cost programs. Prescribes a formula for the redistribution of unused full-time equivalent resident positions in the fields of allopathic and osteopathic medicine for a hospital with respect to the determination of direct graduate medical education costs. Requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to examine the budget consequences of its recommendations before making them. Directs the Secretary to establish demonstration projects for: (1) disease management for certain Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes; and (2) medical adult day care services.
Bill· HRH.R. 4992 (107th)open
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2002
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promote the pharmacist profession through public health service announcements, including grants for State and local advertising campaigns. Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration project to enhance the participation of pharmacists in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program through the provision of medication therapy management services. Requires participants to follow Program requirements but excludes them from consideration when health professional shortage areas are designated. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants or contracts to qualifying schools of pharmacy (those requiring a pharmacy services clinical rotation) for computer-based systems for pharmaceutical education.
Bill· HRH.R. 4988 (107th)reported
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2002
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Medicare Benefits Administration, headed by a Medicare Benefits Administrator who shall carry out Medicare parts C (Medicare+Choice) and D (Miscellaneous) (sic) and provisions relating to the Medicare prescription drug discount card endorsement program. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish within the Medicare Benefits Administration an Office of Beneficiary Assistance to coordinate functions relating to outreach and education of Medicare beneficiaries. Establishes within the Medicare Benefits Administration the Medicare Policy Advisory Board to advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the Administrator with respect to the administration of Medicare parts C and D. Directs the Administrator to establish a grant program to assist pharmacies in implementing the new prescription drug benefit under Medicare part D.
Bill· SS. 2651 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2002
Federal Workforce Improvement Act of 2002 - Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002 - Directs each executive agency to appoint or designate a Chief Human Capital Officer to: (1) advise and assist agency officials in selecting, developing, and managing a high-quality, productive workforce in accordance with merit system principles; and (2) implement the rules and regulations of the President and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and civil service laws. Establishes a Chief Human Capital Officers Council. Directs OPM to design a set of systems, including metrics, for assessing the management of human capital by Federal agencies. Requires each agency's: (1) performance plan to describe how its performance goals and objectives are to be achieved; and (2) program performance report to include a review of the goals and evaluation of the plan relative to the agency's strategic human capital management. Authorizes the President to prescribe rules which grant authority for agencies to appoint candidates directly to certain positions for which there exists a severe candidate shortage or a critical hiring need. Modifies authorities regarding voluntary separation incentive pay and voluntary early retirement. Repeals recertification requirements for senior executives. Adjusts the limitation on total annual compensation. Expands the senior executive service's limited appointment authority. Revises agency training programs and academic degree training criteria. Allows accrual of leave for certain qualified non-Federal service. Modifies: (1) the National Security Education Program; and (2) definitions and requirements regarding personnel management demonstration projects.
Bill· SS. 2653 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2002
Teacher Paperwork Reduction Act of 2002 - Directs the Comptroller General to study the causes of the paperwork burden of special education teachers and report to Congress with recommendations for reducing it. Requires the Department of Education, along with State and local educational agencies, to reduce such burden by at least 50 percent within 18 months. Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to make mediation mandatory (currently voluntary) for all legal disputes related to Individual Education Programs. Directs the Department to use certain appropriations under IDEA part D to award grants to: (1) conduct research to determine best practices for successful mediation; and (2) provide mediation training support services.
Bill· SS. 2657 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2002
Opportunity Passport Act of 2002 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to assist partnerships of public agencies or private nonprofit organizations in developing and implementing methods of providing financial security for youth in foster care and for youth aging out of foster care, including: (1) electronic opportunity passports, such as electronic cards or secure Internet databases containing vital information about medical records, legal identification, and school transcripts; (2) individual development accounts for educational, housing, medical, business, or automobile expenses; (3) debit accounts for short-term use to build credit histories and purchase essential items; and (4) youth leadership boards providing assistance to enable such youth to negotiate agreements, obtain expedited access to education and training programs, obtain pre-approval for student loans or other student financial assistance, and become entrepreneurs.
Bill· SS. 2650 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2002
Consolidation Student Loan Flexibility Act of 2002 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow student loan borrowers to choose a lender for loan consolidation. (Eliminates the requirement that: (1) the consolidation loan lender already hold an outstanding student loan of the borrower; or (2) the borrower certify to having sought and been unable to obtain a consolidation loan with income-sensitive repayment terms from any holders of the outstanding loans selected for consolidation.)
Bill· HRH.R. 4979 (107th)open
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2002
Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century Act - Amends the Peace Corps Act to require all recruiting of volunteers to be undertaken solely by the Peace Corps. Conditions the President's authority to detail or assign Peace Corps volunteers to certain Federal and State agencies and other entities upon a determination that such a detail or assignment does not contradict the standing of such volunteers as being independent from foreign policy-making and intelligence collection. Requires the Director of the Peace Corps, before implementing any new initiative, to consult with the Peace Corps National Advisory Council and to report to Congress on: (1) the initiative's objectives and costs, and any impact it may have on existing programs and the safety of volunteers; (2) the status of security procedures in any country in which the Peace Corps operates programs or is considering doing so; (3) student loan forgiveness programs currently available to Peace Corps volunteers; and (4) initiatives the Peace Corps intends to pursue in order to solicit requests from eligible countries where the presence of volunteers would facilitate a greater understanding of the world and of diverse cultures and systems of government, including peoples from countries with substantial Muslim populations. Requires the Director to develop a training program for all Peace Corps volunteers in the education, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases. Increases Peace Corps volunteer readjustment allowances to $200 a month. Establishes a program to award grants to private nonprofit corporations in the District of Columbia to serve as incubators for returned Peace Corps volunteers seeking to use their knowledge and expertise to undertake community-based projects.
Bill· SS. 2647 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2002
Access for Afghan Women Act - Directs the United States to undertake a variety of measures to guard and enhance the quality of life of Afghan women, including: (1) incorporating the perspectives and advice of Afghan women's organizations and leaders in U.S. policymaking related to the governance of Afghanistan; (2) promoting the inclusion of a significant number of women in the Loya Jirga and future legislative bodies to ensure that women's human rights are included in any constitution for Afghanistan; (3) ensuring a significant portion of U.S. assistance is channeled to local and U.S.-based Afghan organizations, particularly Afghan women's organizations, and to high-quality comprehensive health care programs and education and training programs in Afghanistan; (4) training on the protection, rights, and the particular needs of women with respect to training for military and police forces in Afghanistan; and (5) ensuring that women refugees and those internally displaced in camps, urban areas, and villages are receiving food aid, health and medical services, and are free from sexual exploitation.
Bill· SS. 2649 (107th)open
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2002
International AIDS Treatment and Prevention Act of 2002 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID), to carry out HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and related activities in countries with or at risk for severe HIV epidemic. Requires particular attention to resource constrained countries and the use of indigenous capacity to the degree practicable. Authorizes support and assistance relating to: (1) HIV prevention services, including post exposure prophylaxis and a safe blood supply; (2) HIV/AIDS care and treatment services, linked to prevention services; (3) infrastructure and training, including the availability of health care facilities; and (4) HIV/AIDS treatment protocols. Creates grant programs for: (1) clinical education and training in the delivery of HIV/AIDS care and treatment services; (2) activities to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and (3) research on innovative microbicide concepts. Requires the coordination of Department of Health and Human Services programs by the Director of the Office of International Affairs. Extends the tuberculosis prevention program, to be coordinated with the activities under this Act. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Administrator of AID, to carry out workplace-based HIV/AIDS prevention and education programs in at-risk, constrained countries, with emphasis on protections against discrimination and creating supportive environments for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
Bill· SS. 2648 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2002
Working Toward Independence Act of 2002 - Amends title IV (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to reauthorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to award state family assistance grants. Authorizes States to use grants for healthy marriage promotion activities and requires the Secretary to make bonus grants to each State that has achieved formulated employment goals. Revises requirements for the consideration of certain child care expenditures in determining State compliance with contingency fund requirements. Revises State work participation requirements, incorporating a 40-hour work week standard. Revises requirements for the use of TANF grants. Repeals the Secretary's authority to make loans to State welfare programs and revises State work participation requirements. Authorizes the Secretary to develop TANF performance measures. Makes appropriations for research, demonstrations, and technical assistance. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to public and nonprofit community entities for demonstration projects to test the effectiveness of various approaches to create a Fatherhood Program. Permits States the option to make TANF programs mandatory partners with one-stop employment training centers. Reauthorizes funding for State child care entitlement programs and revises State requirements for child support payments. Amends SSA title XI (General Provisions) to eliminate specified limitations on the Secretary's authority to approve demonstration projects and grant waivers. Amends SSA title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) to require the Commissioner of Social Security to review State agency blindness and disability determinations. Authorizes the administering Secretary to authorize innovative State demonstration projects involving individual programs, or integrating multiple public assistance, employment security, and other programs to support working families. Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to require the Secretary to establish a program to make grants to States to provide food assistance and funds to operate employment and training programs for needy individuals. Extends abstinence education funding and reauthorizes transitional medical assistance.
Bill· HRH.R. 4963 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2002
Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2002 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to include demonstration, education, and other programs concerning cancer survivorship among the activities of the National Cancer Institute (Institute) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Requires the Director of NIH to: (1) expand and coordinate NIH activities related to cancer survivorship; and (2) establish an Office on Survivorship within the Institute. Creates the position of Associate Director for Survivorship. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, to: (1) study the health challenges associated with cancer survivorship and carry out projects and interventions; and (2) make grants for the monitoring and evaluation of cancer care and survivorship.
Bill· SS. 2634 (107th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2002
225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemoration Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to be known as the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemoration Program. Requires the Secretary to: (1) produce and distribute to the public educational materials relating to the American Revolution, such as handbooks, maps, and interpretive guides; (2) provide technical assistance to other Federal agencies, States, local governments, private entities, and the governments of the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Canada; (3) assist in the protection of resources associated with the American Revolution; (4) enhance communications, connections, and collaboration among the National Park Service (NPS) units and programs relating to the American Revolution; (5) expand the research base for interpretation of and education on the American Revolution; and (6) adopt an official symbol or device for the theme "Lighting Freedom's Flame: American Revolution, 225th Anniversary." Requires that such Program include: (1) all NPS units and programs relevant to the American Revolution; (2) other governmental and nongovernmental sites, facilities that are documented to be directly related to the American Revolution, and educational, research, and interpretive programs relating to the American Revolution; and (3) the participation of such foreign governments.