Education

Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Act of 2006 - Authorizes the Secretary of State to establish an Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Program to facilitate undergraduate study abroad for academic credit. States that the Program shall consist of: (1) undergraduate fellowships (Lincoln Fellowships); and (2) grants to institutions of higher education (Lincoln Institutional Leverage Grants).

SHINE Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

Screening for Health of Infants and Newborns Act or the SHINE Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop guidelines that states may follow in reporting data from newborn screening tests. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to develop guidelines to: (1) monitor and evaluate newborn screening activities; and (2) coordinate the results of surveillance activities. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC and the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, to develop a surveillance system for newborn screening. Directs the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders and Genetic Diseases in Newborns and Children to advise the Secretary on the guidelines and on monitoring and evaluating newborn screening and surveillance activities. Requires the Secretary to: (1) direct the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of HRSA to establish a central clearinghouse of current education and family support and services information, materials, resources, research, and data on newborn screening; (2) award grants for demonstration projects that increase state capacity to screen for all of the core conditions; (3) award Hunter Kelly Newborn Screening grants for demonstration projects that develop screening tests for additional newborn conditions or develop multiple markers to increase the specificity of such tests; and (4) appoint an Interagency Grant Review Panel to select grant applications and provide oversight on the grant program.

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reduce class size through the use of fully qualified teachers, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a grants program to reduce class size through the use of fully-qualified teachers. Allots funds to states and local educational agencies to recruit, hire, and train additional teachers, in order to: (1) reduce class sizes nationally, in grades one through three, to an average of 18 students per classroom; and (2) improve teaching in those grades so that all students can learn to read independently and well by the end of the third grade.

Community Protection and Response Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

Community Protection and Response Act of 2006 - 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, advance preparation for public health emergencies, and disaster relief for local educational agencies.

Rural Education Equality and Improvement Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

Rural Education Equality and Improvement Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Education to extend to all rural local educational agencies (LEAs) the same level of increased flexibility or facilitated compliance that the Secretary authorizes for any category of rural LEAs with respect to part A basic LEA programs of title I provisions for improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Renewable Schools Energy Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

Renewable Schools Energy Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for investment in qualified renewable school energy bonds. Defines "qualified renewable school energy bond" as a bond with a 20-year term, 95% of the proceeds of which are used for the purchase and installation of renewable energy products for public school and school district administrative buildings in states with a specified percentage of population growth.

Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act of 2006 - Establishes the United States Commission to Monitor Slavery and its Eradication in Sudan, which shall have as its primary responsibility: (1) reporting on progress made by the government of Sudan and nongovernmental organizations in identifying the location of slaves in Sudan and ensuring their freedom; (2) working with the government of Sudan to ensure safe passage of freed slaves and family reunification; (3) documenting existing cases of slavery and working to prevent new cases from occurring; (4) ensuring that former slaves have access to basic education and skill training, as well as medical, social, and psychological support needed for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society; and (5) ensuring that those individuals responsible for slavery are brought to justice. Requires an annual report to the Secretary of State.

Medicare Residency Program Fairness Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2006

Medicare Residency Program Fairness Act of 2006 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to payments to hospitals for the direct graduate medical education (DGME) costs of inpatient hospital services, particularly the redistribution among qualifying hospitals of unused resident positions which figure in the calculation of DGME costs. Requires a specified adjustment to the reduction of Medicare resident positions for rural and small urban hospitals, where that reduction was based on a cost report subsequently settled, whether as a result of an appeal or otherwise, if the reference resident level under such settled cost report is higher than the resident level used for the reduction.

Minority Entrepreneurship and Innovation Pilot Program of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2006

Minority Entrepreneurship and Innovation Pilot Program of 2006 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to make grants to historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges, and Hispanic serving institutions, or to any entity formed by a combination of such institutions: (1) to assist in establishing an entrepreneurship curriculum for undergraduate or graduate studies; and (2) for the placement of small business development centers on the physical campus of the institution. Requires an institution of higher education receiving a grant to: (1) develop a curriculum that includes training in various skill sets needed by successful entrepreneurs; and (2) open a small business development center. Limits this pilot program to two fiscal years, and a grant to $1 million per fiscal year for any one institution of higher education.

Waiving points of order against the conference report to accompany the bill (S. 250) to amend the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 to improve the Act.

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2006

Waives points of order against the consideration of the conference report on S. 250 (Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2005).

Pool and Spa Safety Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2006

Pool and Spa Safety Act - Establishes swimming pool and spa safety requirements. Authorizes state and local governments to enforce such requirements. Subjects violators to the same penalties that would apply for violations of related state and local laws. Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish recommended minimum state law standards for swimming pools and spas with respect to: (1) enclosure of the pool or spa by barriers to entry that will prevent small children from gaining unsupervised and unfettered access; and (2) systems designed to prevent entrapment of children by drains. Directs CPSC to require that: (1) any outdoor swimming pool or spa is enclosed by an appropriate fence or other barrier; and (2) any swimming pool or spa with a main drain is equipped with at least one anti-entrapment device. Directs CPSC to require, at a minimum, one or more of the following: a safety vacuum release system; a suction-limiting vent system; a gravity drainage system; an automatic pump shut-off system; or a device or system that disables the drain. Requires the CPSC to establish: (1) a state swimming pool safety grant program to provide assistance to states in hiring and training state and local government employees in implementing and enforcing state swimming pool standards, educating the public, and administering safety programs; and (2) an education program to inform the public of methods to prevent drownings and entrapment in swimming pools and spas.

Mathematics and Science Teaching Corps Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2006

Mathematics and Science Teaching Corps Act of 2006 - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to create a Math and Science Teaching Corps to significantly improve mathematics and science achievement among secondary school students. Requires the Director of the Corps to carry out a program that awards: (1) Math and Science Teaching Corps Fellowships for Prospective Teachers (MSTC Fellowships) to teachers possessing comprehensive subject area knowledge; (2) grants to partner institutions to pay the tuition, fees, and overhead costs of the fellows; and (3) grants to participating local educational agencies to pay the expenses associated with facilitating the induction and professional development services for the fellows. Requires MSTC Fellowship recipients to: (1) receive specified pedagogical training; (2) teach mathematics or science, for a specified stipend, in a public secondary school for four years, and participate in induction and professional development programs; (3) participate in additional weekend or summer professional development activities in their first two years of teaching; and (4) receive mentoring training in their third year of teaching, and provide mentoring in their fourth year. Requires the Director to carry out a program that awards Math and Science Teaching Corps Fellowships for Experienced Teachers (MSTC Master Fellowships). Requires an MSTC Master Fellowship recipient to: (1) continue to teach mathematics or science, for a specified stipend, in a secondary school of a participating agency for at least five of the seven years after receiving such fellowship; (2) serve as a leader and mentor within the individual's department and school; and (3) attend subject or pedagogy workshops offered by the participating local educational agency. Requires that at least 30% of the recipients in each category of fellowship teach at hard-to-staff schools. Provides bonus stipends to such recipients.

Renewable Schools Energy Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2006

Renewable Schools Energy Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for investment in qualified renewable school energy bonds. Defines "qualified renewable school energy bond" as a bond with a 20-year term, 95% of the proceeds of which are used for the purchase and installation of renewable energy products for public school and school district administrative buildings in states with a specified percentage of population growth.

A resolution encouraging all 50 States to recognize and accommodate the release of public school pupils from school attendance to attend off-campus religious classes at their churches, synagogues, houses of worship, and faith-based organizations.

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2006

Calls on the states to recognize and accommodate those churches, faith-based organizations, and individuals that wish to release public school pupils from school attendance to attend religious classes. Requests the President to proclaim the third week of November 2006 as Bible Education in School Time Week.

Mathematics and Science Teaching Corps Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2006

Mathematics and Science Teaching Corps Act of 2006 - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to create a Math and Science Teaching Corps to significantly improve mathematics and science achievement among secondary school students. Requires the Director of the Corps to carry out a program that awards: (1) Math and Science Teaching Corps Fellowships for Prospective Teachers (MSTC Fellowships) to teachers possessing comprehensive subject area knowledge; (2) grants to partner institutions to pay the tuition, fees, and overhead costs of the fellows; and (3) grants to participating local educational agencies to pay the expenses associated with facilitating the induction and professional development services for the fellows. Requires MSTC Fellowship recipients to: (1) receive specified pedagogical training; (2) teach mathematics or science, for a specified stipend, in a public secondary school for four years, and participate in induction and professional development programs; (3) participate in additional weekend or summer professional development activities in their first two years of teaching; and (4) receive mentoring training in their third year of teaching, and provide mentoring in their fourth year. Requires the Director to carry out a program that awards Math and Science Teaching Corps Fellowships for Experienced Teachers (MSTC Master Fellowships). Requires an MSTC Master Fellowship recipient to: (1) continue to teach mathematics or science, for a specified stipend, in a secondary school of a participating agency for at least five of the seven years after receiving such fellowship; (2) serve as a leader and mentor within the individual's department and school; and (3) attend subject or pedagogy workshops offered by the participating local educational agency. Requires that at least 30% of the recipients in each category of fellowship teach at hard-to-staff schools. Provides bonus stipends to such recipients.

Major General Todd I. Stewart, USAF, (Ret.), of Ohio, to be a Member of the National Security Education Board for a term of four years, vice Arthur James Collingsworth, term expiring.

United States · United States Senate · 21 July 2006

Teacher Center Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Teacher Center Act of 2006 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or consortiums of LEAs for the establishment and operation of new teacher centers or the support of existing centers. Requires that special consideration be given to high-need LEAs that serve a specified number or percentage of poor children and face difficulties in recruiting highly qualified teachers. Requires teacher centers established or supported with such funds to provide: (1) high-quality professional development to teachers that will enable them to help students improve their achievement and meet state academic standards; (2) teachers with information on developments in curricula, assessments, and educational research; and (3) training and support for new teachers. Lists other permissible uses of such funds by teacher centers. Conditions a center's receipt of such assistance on its operation under the supervision of a teacher center policy board, the majority of whose members must be representatives of, and selected by, the elementary and secondary school teachers to be served by the center.

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2006 - 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.

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007 - Makes appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for FY2007. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, such funds and transfers of funds. Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2007 - Makes appropriations for FY2007 to the Department of Labor, including: (1) the Employment and Training Administration; (2) the Employee Benefits Security Administration; (3) the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; (4) the Employment Standards Administration; (5) the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; (6) the Mine Safety and Health Administration; (7) the Bureau of Labor Statistics; (8) the Office of Disability Employment Policy; (9) the Office of Job Corps; and (10) the Office of Inspector General. Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2007 - Makes appropriations for FY2007 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including: (1) the Health Resources and Services Administration; (2) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); (3) the National Institutes of Health (NIH); (4) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; (5) the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; (6) the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; (7) the Administration for Children and Families; (8) the Administration on Aging; (9) the Office of the Secretary for general departmental management; (10) the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; (11) the Office of Inspector General; and (12) the Office for Civil Rights. Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2007 - Makes appropriations for FY2007 to the Department of Education, including: (1) the Institute of Education Sciences; (2) the Office for Civil Rights; and (3) the Office of the Inspector General. Makes appropriations for FY2007 for: (1) the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled; (2) the Corporation for National and Community Service; (3) the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; (4) the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; (5) the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission; (6) the Institute of Museum and Library Services; (7) the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; (8) the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science; (9) the National Council on Disability; (10) the National Labor Relations Board; (11) the National Mediation Board; (12) the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission; (13) the Railroad Retirement Board; and (14) the Social Security Administration.

PASS Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Partnership for Academic Success in the States Act, or the PASS Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to implement a competitive pilot program, in up to 10 states, under which, pursuant to a performance agreement with each state, the Secretary: (1) directly provides the grant amount that such state would otherwise receive under one or more specified elementary and secondary education grant programs; and (2) waives the applicability of one or more of the requirements of such programs. Allows the Secretary to terminate a state's participation in the pilot program if it fails for three consecutive years to demonstrate adequate yearly progress toward achieving challenging academic performance standards. Requires the equitable participation of private schools in the use of such grants. Provides for awards to states for reducing achievement gaps.

Pool and Spa Safety Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Pool and Spa Safety Act - Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish recommended state law standards meeting specified minimum requirements for: (1) enclosure of swimming pools and spas by barriers to prevent unsupervised access by small children; and (2) systems to prevent entrapment of children by pool or spa drains. Requires the CPSC to establish: (1) a grant program to provide assistance to states in hiring and training government employees in implementing and enforcing state pool safety standards, educating the public about pool and spa safety, and administering safety programs; and (2) a national education program to inform the public of methods to prevent drownings and entrapment in pools and spas.

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the exclusion from gross income of certain wages of a certified master teacher, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income up to 25 percent of the wages earned by a certified master teacher in certain schools identified as in need of improvement or in a Head Start program. Defines "certified master teacher" as a teacher who: (1) has at least five years teaching experience in a public elementary or secondary school; (2) is highly qualified as defined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; (3) has a master's degree; and (4) has advanced certification in the applicable State licensing system. Terminates such exclusion after 2013.

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to ensure a free and adequate education for every child who is a citizen.

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Constitutional Amendment - Declares that, in order to more effectively promote the common defense, provide for the general welfare, and establish a more perfect union, the right to a free and adequate education shall be guaranteed to every child who is a U.S. citizen.

A bill to waive application of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to a specific parcel of real property transferred by the United States to 2 Indian tribes in the State of Oregon, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Waives application of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act to a specified parcel of real property transferred by the United States to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. Prohibits Class II and Class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on such real property.

Veterans Identity and Credit Security Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Veterans Identity and Credit Security Act of 2006 - Requires: (1) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish policies and standards for federal agencies to follow in the event of a breach of data security involving the disclosure of sensitive personal information; and (2) each federal agency to establish procedures for notifying individuals whose sensitive personal information is compromised. Establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) an Under Secretary for Information Services. Outlines responsibilities of the VA's Chief Information Officer with respect to personal information security management. Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report quarterly to the congressional veterans' committees on any data breach with respect to sensitive personal information possessed or maintained by the VA. Requires within the VA, with respect to each data breach, an independent risk analysis to determine the level of risk for the potential misuse of such information. Provides for, after a data breach: (1) fraud alerts; (2) credit security freezes; and (3) credit protection services. Outlines requirements for contractors who contract to perform any VA function that requires access to sensitive personal information. Directs the Secretary, in order to ensure appropriate information security skills for VA employees, to carry out programs to provide financial support for the education of such personnel in information security at institutions of higher education. Authorizes: (1) a scholarship program under which the Secretary may provide financial assistance to an individual for up to five years with a limit of $50,000 per year; and (2) a debt reduction program under which the Secretary makes payments on loans taken by VA employees to obtain appropriate information security education, with a payment limit of $82,500 over a five-year period. Provides a first and second priority, in the provision of assistance under this section, to: (1) veterans with service-connected disabilities; and (2) other veterans. Requires any veteran receiving assistance to have been discharged from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions.

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2006 - 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.

YouthBuild Transfer Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

YouthBuild Transfer Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish a revised YouthBuild program under the authority of the Secretary of Labor (Secretary). Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to carry out certain activities under the YouthBuild program, including: (1) education and workforce investment; (2) supervision and training for participants in the rehabilitation or construction of housing (including residential housing for homeless individuals or low-income families), transitional housing for homeless individuals, and community and other public facilities; (3) adult mentoring; and (4) follow-up services. Repeals authority for the YouthBuild program under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. Transfers the YouthBuild program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the Department of Labor.

Teacher Centers Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Teacher Centers Act of 2006 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or consortiums of LEAs for the establishment and operation of new teacher centers or the support of existing centers. Requires that special consideration be given to high-need LEAs that serve a specified number or percentage of poor children and face difficulties in recruiting highly qualified teachers. Requires teacher centers established or supported with such funds to provide: (1) high-quality professional development to teachers that will enable them to help students improve their achievement and meet state academic standards; (2) teachers with information on developments in curricula, assessments, and educational research; and (3) training and support for new teachers. Lists other permissible uses of such funds by teacher centers. Conditions a center's receipt of such assistance on its operation under the supervision of a teacher center policy board, the majority of whose members must be representatives of, and selected by, the elementary and secondary school teachers to be served by the center.

Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) establish a national program for the elimination of tuberculosis and expand tuberculosis research and development activities and demonstration projects; (2) expand the duties and membership of the Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis and require the Council to develop and implement a national plan to eliminate tuberculosis in the United States; (3) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Federal Tuberculosis Task Force to develop new tools for the elimination of tuberculosis, including drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines; (4) require the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate NIH tuberculosis research, to make awards to faculties of medical and osteopathic schools to develop curricula for tuberculosis prevention, management, and control, and to make awards to support career development of clinically trained professionals committed to pulmonary infection research; (5) require the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH to work to develop a tuberculosis vaccine; (6) require the John E. Fogarty International Center for Advanced Study in the Health Sciences to carry out an international training program regarding tuberculosis; and (7) require the Secretary to ensure that a portion of funds appropriated to repay education loans of qualified health professionals, researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds, and clinical researchers is reserved for contracts with individuals who research tuberculosis.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week should be established.

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Recognizes the achievements and goals of historically black colleges and universities. Supports the designation of a National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week.

Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2006

Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to lead all federal public health and medical response to public health emergencies and incidents covered by the National Response Plan. Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and transfers to the Assistant Secretary the functions of the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness. Expands the program for state and local public health emergency preparedness to allow political subdivisions of states or a consortium of states to be eligible for funding. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop and require the application of evidence-based benchmarks and objective standards that measure levels of preparedness; and (2) establish a near real-time electronic nationwide public health situational awareness capacity to enhance detection, response, and management of public health emergencies. Sets forth matching requirements for emergency preparedness funds. Directs the Secretary to conduct a review of the National Disaster Medical System, including a review of medical surge capacity. Transfers to the Secretary the functions of the National Disaster Medical System. Requires the Secretary to establish and maintain a Medical Reserve Corps to provide for an adequate supply of volunteers during a public health emergency. Allows the Secretary to establish Centers for Public Health Preparedness at accredited schools of public health. Requires the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to ensure the readiness of Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers in a public health emergency.

America's Opportunity Scholarships for Kids Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2006

America's Opportunity Scholarships for Kids Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to local educational agencies, state educational agencies, or nonprofit organizations to provide scholarships or sustained supplemental educational services to low-income students who attend, or their siblings who would attend, a public elementary or secondary school due for restructuring for failing to meet state academic performance standards. Requires such scholarships to enable students to attend: (1) the private elementary or secondary school of their parent's choice; or (2) a public elementary or secondary school of their parent's choice outside the student's home school district, consistent with state law. Requires the Secretary to conduct an independent evaluation of this program, including an assessment of its impact on student achievement.

Manchester Bidwell Center for Arts and Technology Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2006

Manchester Bidwell Center for Arts and Technology Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to award a grant to the Manchester Bidwell Corporation in Pennsylvania to improve, expand, and replicate the arts and technology education centers operated by such Corporation. Permits the Manchester Bidwell Corporation to use the grant awarded under this Act to conduct any of the following activities: (1) the development of a business plan to replicate at other locations in the United States the arts and technology education centers modeled after the Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; (2) the implementation of such business plan at locations in the United States where there is an interest in establishing arts and technology education centers similar to those operated by the Corporation in Pittsburgh; or (3) any other activities the Secretary determines to be appropriate. Requires Manchester Bidwell Corporation, in order to be eligible to receive such grant, to provide matching funds from non-federal sources (in cash or in kind) in an amount equal to or greater than the federal funds received in accordance with the grant to carry out the activities supported by it.

America's Opportunity Scholarships for Kids Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2006

America's Opportunity Scholarships for Kids Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to local educational agencies, state educational agencies, or nonprofit organizations to provide scholarships or sustained supplemental educational services to low-income students who attend, or their siblings who would attend, a public elementary or secondary school due for restructuring for failing to meet state academic performance standards. Requires such scholarships to enable students to attend: (1) the private elementary or secondary school of their parent's choice; or (2) a public elementary or secondary school of their parent's choice outside the student's home school district, consistent with state law. Requires the Secretary to conduct an independent evaluation of this program, including an assessment of its impact on student achievement.

At-Risk Youth Protection Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2006

At-Risk Youth Protection Act of 2006 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to states for subgrants to alternative public schools or programs that serve the needs of students who are at risk of educational failure. Requires subgrantees to require their secondary school students to perform at least 100 hours of community service each school year and receive training or counseling on conflict resolution as a prerequisite to performing such service. Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax deduction to a business of: (1) $750 per 100 hours of community service provided by such a student through such business during the taxable year; and (2) $2,000 for each graduate of such alternative school or program who completes one year of employment with such business.

A FRESH START FOR NEW ORLEANS' CHILDREN: IMPROVING EDUCATION AFTER KATRINA

United States · United States Senate · 14 July 2006

HIV Prevention Youth Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2006

HIV Prevention for Youth Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that sexually active young people who live in a country where HIV infection is spreading through the general population, rather than being confined to specific populations should be: (1) considered at high risk of contracting HIV infection; and (2) provided with the knowledge, skill-building programs, and tools to protect themselves from HIV infection. Amends the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 to define "abstinence-until-marriage programs" as programs that place the highest priority on encouraging unmarried individuals to abstain from sexual activity, which if practiced 100% correctly and consistently is the only certain way to protect against exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. (Such programs include information on the health benefits of delayed sexual debut in reducing HIV transmission and may be used to support approaches that promote skill-building strategies for practicing abstinence.) Reserves at least 33% of the Act's appropriations for FY2006-FY2008 for prevention of the sexual transmission of HIV (currently, for HIV/AIDS prevention). Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to include within the activities for which HIV/AIDS assistance is available preventive intervention education for sexually active young people who live in a country experiencing a generalized HIV epidemic. Defines " generalized epidemic" as a country where: (1) HIV infection is spreading through the general population, rather than being confined to specific populations, such as sex workers and their clients, injecting drug users, and men who have sex with men; and (2) the HIV infection rate among people between the ages of 15 and 49 exceeds 1%.

A resolution designating the week beginning on September 10, 2006, as "National Historically Black College and Universities Week".

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2006

Designates the week beginning September 10, 2006, as National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week.

Colorectal Cancer Early Detection, Prevention, and Treatment Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2006

Colorectal Cancer Early Detection, Prevention, and Treatment Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to make grants to public and private entities for demonstrations projects to: (1) provide colorectal cancer screenings to individuals who are 50 years of age or older or at high risk for such cancer; (2) provide case management and referrals for medical treatment to individuals screened; (3) ensure the provision of cancer care to individuals screened; (4) improve the education, training, and skills of health professionals in the detection and control of colorectal cancer; (5) evaluate the projects through appropriate surveillance or program monitoring activities; (6) develop and disseminate findings derived through such evaluations and the collection of data on outcomes; and (7) promote the benefits of receiving screenings through the projects. Requires applicants to give priority to low-income individuals who lack colorectal cancer coverage under health insurance and health plans. Requires the Secretary to give special consideration to applicants currently receiving grants for preventive health programs for breast or cervical cancers or prostate cancer.

Shirley A. Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2006

Shirley A. Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2006 - Authorizes the Secretary of State to establish the Shirley Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Program under which scholars and secondary, undergraduate, and graduate students from the Caribbean would attend U.S. schools, participate in activities designed to promote a greater understanding of U.S. values and culture, and have the option to live with a U.S. host family. Directs the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop a comprehensive program that extends and expands existing primary and secondary school initiatives in the Caribbean to provide: (1) teacher training methods; and (2) increased community involvement in school activities.

Communities of Color Teen Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2006

Communities of Color Teen Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2006 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants for projects to prevent teen pregnancies in racial, ethnic minority, or immigrant communities with a substantial incidence or prevalence of cases of teen pregnancy as compared to the average number of such cases in communities in the state involved. Allows the Secretary to make grants to: (1) provide necessary social and cultural support services regarding teen pregnancy; (2) provide health and educational services related to the prevention of teen pregnancy; (3) promote better health and educational outcomes among pregnant teens; (4) provide training for individuals who plan to work in school-based support programs regarding the prevention of teen pregnancy; and (5) provide public education and increase awareness with respect to the issue of teen pregnancy and related social and emotional issues. Requires the Secretary to make grants to establish and operate a National Clearinghouse for Teen Pregnancy Prevention. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to make grants to conduct, support, and coordinate research on the prevention of teen pregnancy in such communities. Allows a grant to be made under this Act only if the applicant agrees that: (1) all information provided pursuant to the Act will be age-appropriate, factually and medically accurate and complete, and scientifically based; and (2) information, activities, and services under the grant will be provided in the language and cultural context that is most appropriate for individual groups.

Keeping Families Together Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2006

Keeping Families Together Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award competitive matching grants to states to establish systems of care to treat and provide services to all children who are in the custody of the state or at-risk of entering into the custody of the state for the purpose of receiving mental health services. Requires states to use grant funds for certain activities, including to: (1) expand public health insurance programs to cover community-based mental health and family support services for such children and their families that will be sustainable after the grant has expired; (2) provide outreach and public education concerning available programs and activities; and (3) provide training and professional development for personnel who work with such children. Requires the Administrator to establish a task force to examine: (1) problems of mental health in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems; (2) issues with respect to access by children and youth to mental health services; and (3) the role of federal agencies in promoting access by children and youth to mental health services.

United States Physician Shortage Elimination Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2006

United States Physician Shortage Elimination Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the National Health Service Corps Medical School Scholarship Program to ensure an adequate supply of physicians providing primary health services. Requires the Secretary to provide scholarships and accept individuals into the Corps in exchange for such individuals completing a residency in a specialty needed by the Corps and serving as a provider of primary health services in a health professional shortage area for six years. Allows the Secretary to make grants to: (1) increase the capacity of medical schools to accept students each year; (2) recruit students to participate in the Corps Scholarship Program; (3) increase the number of minority health professionals servicing medically underserved communities; and (4) establish new or alternative-campus accredited medical residency programs affiliated with accredited medical programs. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to make grants to community health centers to: (1) increase the number of medical service providers associated with such centers; and (2) increase primary care capabilities through the construction, expansion, or renovation of facilities.

Fair Voter Education Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2006

Fair Voter Education Act of 2006 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a state from using election administration funds received under such Act for public communications which promote or oppose a candidate for public office or political party.

Colorado Emergency Wildfire and Insect Infestations Response Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2006

Colorado Emergency Wildfire and Insect Infestations Response Act of 2006 - Amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, for an authorized hazardous fuel reduction project that is proposed to be conducted on federal land in Colorado, from being required to study, develop, or describe any alternative to the proposed agency action in the environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Amends the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 to permit longer terms for agreements and contracts for stewardship contracting projects in Colorado. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to expand the Fuels for Schools program to include Colorado. Authorizes such Secretary to make grants in a specified amount each fiscal year to carry out such program in Colorado. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the placed in service date for the renewable electricity production credit for electricity produced by facilities using open-loop biomass to January 1, 2010. Makes electricity produced and sold from such facilities eligible for the full credit rate.

North American Investment Fund Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2006

North American Investment Fund Act - Authorizes the President to negotiate with Canada and Mexico to create a North American Investment Fund to: (1) increase the global economic competitiveness of North America; (2) promote economic development in Mexico in the areas of infrastructure, education, technology, and job training; and (3) reduce the wealth gap between Mexico and Canada, and between Mexico and the United States. States that the Fund shall: (1) be funded by all three countries, with conditions on U.S. and Canadian contributions based upon revenue measures to be taken by Mexico; and (2) operate for an initial ten-year period, and cease operation unless Canada, Mexico, and the United States agree to its continuation.

Prehistoric Trackways National Monument Establishment Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2006

Prehistoric Trackways National Monument Establishment Act - Establishes the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in New Mexico in order to conserve, protect, and enhance the unique and nationally important paleontological, scientific, educational, scenic, and recreational resources and values of specified public land in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) develop a comprehensive management plan for the long-term protection and management of the Monument; and (2) provide for public interpretation of, and education and scientific research on, the paleontological resources of the Monument, with priority given to exhibiting and curating the resources in Dona Ana County.

POWER Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2006

Prisoner Opportunity, Work, and Education Requirement Act or the POWER Act - Amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 to require federal prison inmates to: (1) work for not less than 50 hours weekly; and (2) engage in job training and educational and life skills preparation study. Requires Federal Prison Industries (a government corporation) to employ inmates in manufacturing activities by subcontracting with private sector contractors. Requires inmate wages earned in a 50-hour work week program to be used for the costs of incarceration, victim restitution, inmate expenses, and related state and local prisoner programs. Repeals certain provisions restricting the funding of, and purchase of products from, Federal Prison Industries. Directs the Attorney General to establish the Foreign Labor Substitute Panel to review pilot projects by U.S. companies for the manufacture of goods by federal convicts that would otherwise be manufactured by foreign labor. Revises federal criminal code provisions to restate the mission, operating objectives, performance standards, and other requirements for Federal Prison Industries. Requires the Comptroller General to provide for annual independent evaluations of the operations of Federal Prison Industries and to report to Congress on such evaluations (currently, the Board of Directors of Federal Prison Industries is required to report to Congress).

Children of Fallen Soldiers Pell Grant Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2006

Children of Fallen Soldiers Pell Grant Act of 2006 - Amends the Higher Educaton Act of 1965 to eliminate the expected family contribution used in determining Pell Grant eligibility in the case of a student applicant whose parent or guardian was killed while performing military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001.

Education Assessment Technical Corrections Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2006

Education Assessment Technical Corrections Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 to except teachers in hard to staff areas from the requirement that all teachers teaching in core academic subjects within a state be highly qualified not later than the end of the 2005-2006 school year. Requires teachers in hard to staff areas, instead, to satisfy at least 80% of the requirements to be highly qualified by the end of the 2006-2007 school year, and satisfy all of them by the end of the following school year. Revises requirements for assessments of student groups in measuring the adequate yearly progress of the state, and of all public schools and local educational agencies (LEAs) in the state, toward enabling all public elementary school and secondary school students to meet the state's student academic achievement standards. Provides that a student group which has failed to meet or exceed achievement standards may satisfy assessment requirements if it met such standards in the immediately preceding year. Authorizes the testing of disabled students at their instructional level, rather than grade level, provided they show progress in accordance with individualized education programs. Permits states to change the method of counting students who are in more than one group. Revises the sanctions for schools which fail an assessment by reason of a group of no more than four students from designation as needing improvement to mandatory redirection of funds to the needs of such group. Requires the Secretary of Education to make recommendations to Congress for increasing the percentage of limited English proficient students and disabled students who meet or exceed state academic achievement standards.