Education

INDIAN EDUCATION

United States · United States Senate · 25 May 2006

MINERS for Mining Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2006

Modernizing and Improving the National Emergency Response System for Mining Act or the MINERS for Mining Act - Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to require coal mine operators to: (1) improve accident preparedness and response at each mine; and (2) adopt and update an accident response plan for evacuations and for maintenance of individuals trapped underground. Requires such a plan to provide for: (1) redundant means and local coordination of communication; (2) post-accident location of underground personnel; (3) emergency air supplies: (4) self-rescuer caches; (5) escapeways and flame-resistant directional lifelines; (6) emergency training; and (7) within three years, post accident wireless communication between underground and the surface and electronic tracking of trapped persons. Limits the liability of persons who carry out mine accident rescue or recovery operations. Directs the Secretary of Labor to require: (1) the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to establish and update criteria to certify the qualifications of mine rescue teams; and (2) operators to have one employee knowledgeable in emergency response on each shift and two certified mine rescue teams available at each mine within one hour. Requires notification of a mine accident to be provided to the Secretary by the operator within 15 minutes of knowledge of a death or potentially fatal injury. Authorizes the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to research and develop technology for the improvement of the safety and health of miners. Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to establish within NIOSH an Office of Mine Safety and Health to enhance the development of new mine safety technology and applications and to expedite the commercial availability and implementation of such technology. Authorizes the Director of NIOSH to: (1) award competitive grants and contracts; and (2) establish an interagency working group to share technology, research, and developments concerning mine safety and accident response. Requires the Secretary to require: (1) the temporary assignment of a department official as a liaison with the families of victims of mine tragedies involving multiple deaths; and (2) MSHA to be responsiveto family requests for information and to serve as the primary communicator. Prescribes penalties for operator violations of health or safety standards or orders. Requires the Secretary to research, and report to Congress on, the sealing of abandoned mine areas. Directs the Secretary to: (1) require the operator of each mine to conduct mandatory, random substance abuse testing of mine employees; and (2) create a registry of those found to have tested positive. Provides for the issuance and enforcement of subpoenas. Requires the Secretary of Education to provide scholarships to individuals to increase the skilled workforce for mine operators, mine safety inspectors, and other MSHA personnel. Requires NIOSH to: (1) provide for research about various refuge alternatives in mines; and (2) survey international mining practices concerning incident planning. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants for funding education and training programs to better identify and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines.

Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2006

Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a geography education grant program under title II, Teacher Quality Enhancement. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award a grant to a national nonprofit educational organization or consortium, with 75% to be used for subgrants to institutions of higher education associated with state geographic alliances, nonprofit educational organizations, or state or local educational agencies. Requires various grantee and subgrantee activities designed to expand geographic literacy among kindergarten through grade 12 students by improving their teachers' professional development programs offered through institutions of higher education. Includes among such activities state-based conferences to assess geographic literacy and identify improvement strategies.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and make permanent the Department of Veterans Affairs benefit for Government markers for marked graves of veterans buried in private cemeteries, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2006

Amends federal veterans' benefits provisions to: (1) make permanent (currently, terminates on December 31, 2006) the authority for the provision by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of government markers or memorial headstones for the marked graves of veterans buried in private cemeteries; and (2) terminate a reporting requirement on the use of such authority. Amends the Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 to make eligible for such markers or headstones certain veterans dying on or after November 1, 1990 (currently, September 11, 2001).

Strengthening America's Innovation and Competitiveness Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2006

Strengthening America's Innovation and Competitiveness Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states and to partnerships of institutions of higher education and high need local educational agencies (LEAs) to implement strategies to increase the number of teachers qualified to teach advanced placement and pre-advanced placement courses in mathematics, science, and critical foreign languages. Replaces the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program with the Robert C. Byrd Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarship program. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award funds to a private nonprofit organization to administer, through a public-private partnership, a Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarships program for postsecondary and graduate students who commit to five consecutive years of service in a science, engineering, or mathematics field. Authorizes the Secretary to cover the student loan interest obligations of mathematics, science, or engineering professionals and elementary and secondary school teachers who make such an obligation. Authorizes grants to states for: (1) activities promoting the professional development of elementary and secondary school teachers; and (2) state mathematics and science education coordinating councils where education, business, and community leaders collaborate to improve teacher recruitment and training and student performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Authorizes grants to LEAs and public or private educational organizations to recruit and train individuals outside of the elementary and secondary education system who have expertise in mathematics, science, and critical foreign languages to teach such subjects at secondary schools on an adjunct basis. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to partnerships of institutions of higher education and LEAs to: (1) establish elementary and secondary school critical foreign language teacher recruitment and preparation programs; and (2) provide innovative critical language learning opportunities for students.

Expressing the sense of Congress and support for Greater Opportunities for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (GO-STEM) programs.

United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2006

Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) mathematics and science education programs across federal agencies should be better coordinated; (2) there should be minimal duplication among these programs and consistent standards of evaluation; (3) the Department of Education should be commended for its rapid response in creating the Academic Competitiveness Council; and (4) federal funding for mathematics and science education programs should reflect the recommendations of the Council.

Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2006

Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2006 - Amends the Social Security Act to require each state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that the state shall: (1) have in effect procedures for orderly and timely interstate placement of children; (2) complete home studies requested by another state within a specified period; (3) accept such studies received from another state; and (4) not impose any restrictions on contracting with a private agency to conduct such a study. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants for timely interstate home study incentive payments to states that have approved plans and that have completed, and provided the Secretary a report on, such studies. Expresses the sense of Congress that state agencies should cooperate with courts which have authority with respect to the placement of a child in foster care or for adoption for the purpose of locating a parent of the child. Amends the definition of "case review system" to: (1) increase the required frequency of state caseworker visits to a child who is placed in foster care outside the state in which the child's parents reside; (2) require a child's health and education record to be supplied to the child at no cost when he/she leaves foster care by reason of having attained the age of majority under state law; and (3) provide for a foster parent's right (currently, opportunity) to be heard in any proceeding (currently, review or hearing) respecting their foster child. Requires state courts to ensure that foster parents, pre-adoptive parents, and relative caregivers of a child in foster care are notified of any such proceedings. Includes among the purposes of grants to the highest state courts the assessment of the court's role in carrying out state laws requiring proceedings that determine the best strategy to use to expedite the interstate placement of children. Provides for consideration of out-of-state placements in permanency hearings, case plans, and case reviews. Requires each plan for child welfare services to include the assurance that the state will eliminate legal barriers to facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for children.

Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2006

Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act of 2006 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of comprehensive cancer care planning services. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a two-year demonstration project for Medicare payment for comprehensive cancer care symptom management services furnished by an eligible entity in accordance with a described plan. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for establishing a new, or expanding an existing, palliative care and symptom management program for cancer patients. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to improve the quality of graduate and postgraduate training of physicians, nurses, and other health care providers, as well as continuing professional education, in palliative care and symptom management for such patients. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health to establish a program of grants for research on palliative care, symptom management, communication skills, and other end-of-life topics for such patients.

To provide for the National Science Foundation to make grants for the establishment of summer science and mathematics camps for middle school and high school students.

United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2006

Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to award grants to institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit organizations to develop and operate summer camps designed to interest and instruct middle and high school students in science, mathematics, and technology. Conditions a nonprofit organization's eligibility on its expertise and experience in providing the public with informal science and mathematics education. Requires grantees to enter into agreements with urban high-need local educational agencies on processes for selecting disadvantaged students from schools administered by such agencies for attendance at such camps. Allows the use of grant funds to cover the cost of attendance by such students.

Congratulating Kim Burke-Ables for her exceptional dedication to the students of Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, D.C. and her excellence as a teacher resulting in her selection as the 2006 District of Columbia Teacher of the Year, in recognition of her work.

United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2006

Congratulates Kim Burke-Ables for her selection as the 2006 District of Columbia Teacher of the Year. Congratulates the Principal of her school, Anita Berger of Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, for providing an environment for enriched academic growth and the school's designation by Newsweek Magazine in May 2006 as one of the nation's best high schools. Thanks the principals and teachers at District of Columbia schools for their dedication to the city's children.

PBGC Confirmation Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2006

PBGC Confirmation Act of 2006 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to replace the chairman of the board of directors with a Director to head the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Requires the Director to be approved by the Senate. Gives joint jurisdiction over the nomination to the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the penalty for failure to file an actuarial report for defined benefit plans other than multi-employer plans.

A resolution expressing the sense of Congress that institutions of higher education should adopt policies and educational programs on their campuses to help deter and eliminate illicit copyright infringement occurring on, and encourage educational uses of, their computer systems and networks.

United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2006

Expresses the sense of Congress that colleges and universities should continue to: (1) take a leadership role in educating students regarding the detrimental consequences of online infringement of intellectual property rights; and (2) take steps to deter and eliminate unauthorized peer-to-peer computer use by warning students of the risks of such use and educating them concerning the value of intellectual property.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2006

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act - Reestablishes in the Department of Commerce the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), headed by an Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere who shall serve as the Administrator of NOAA. Establishes within NOAA the positions of: (1) Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; (2) Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; (3) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Education; (4) up to two additional Deputy Assistant Secretaries; and (5) General Counsel. Maintains within NOAA: (1) the National Weather Service; (2) programs to support efforts, on a continuing basis, to collect data and provide information and products regarding satellites, observations, and coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes information; and (3) programs to conduct and support research and education and the development of technologies relating to weather, climate, and the coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes. Establishes a Science Advisory Board within NOAA. Requires the Administrator to: (1) provide a review of NOAA environmental data and information systems, including recommendations to address any inadequacies identified by the review; (2) develop a strategic plan that responds to such recommendations and sets forth modernization and improvement objectives for an integrated national environmental data access and archive system; and (3) develop a strategic plan for research and development (R&D) at NOAA. Requires the Administrator to: (1) develop a reorganization plan for NOAA; and (2) provide public and congressional notification, and an assessment, of any proposed closing, consolidating, relocating, subdividing, or establishing of a NOAA facility.

Science Accountability Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2006

Science Accountability Act of 2006 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to: (1) establish challenging academic content and student achievement standards in science, beginning in the 2008-2009 school year; and (2) measure the achievement of students in grades three through eight against such standards, beginning in the 2009-2010 school year.

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007

United States · United States Senate · 19 May 2006

Fostering Our Future Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2006

Fostering Our Future Act of 2006 - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to require, for grants to the highest state courts for foster care proceedings, that the state in which the courts are located has laws and procedures in effect that will ensure that the courts measure their performance with respect to children under the court's jurisdiction. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to forgive the student loan debt of a borrower who: (1) enters a written agreement with the Secretary to remain employed full-time as a family law, dependency, or domestic relations attorney for at least three years; and (2) is not in default on a loan for which the borrower seeks forgiveness. Limits the amount that the Secretary may pay to no more than $6,000 in any year for any borrower or $50,000 in the aggregate for any borrower. Authorizes the Secretary to renew such agreements. Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a comparative study of state dependency courts and foster care systems. Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to: (1) court accountability for improved child outcomes; (2) the organization of state dependency courts; (3) building the pool of attorneys qualified to handle cases in dependency courts; and (4) training, caseloads, and compensation of attorneys for children.

MINER Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2006

Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 or the MINER Act - Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to require coal mine operators to: (1) carry out continuously a program to improve accident preparedness and response at each mine; and (2) adopt and update an accident response plan for evacuations and for maintenance of individuals trapped underground. Requires such a plan to provide for: (1) redundant means and local coordination of communication; (2) post-accident location of underground personnel; (3) emergency air supplies: (4) self-rescuer caches, maintenance, and replacement; (5) escapeways and flame-resistant directional lifelines; (6) emergency training; and (7) within three years, post accident wireless communication between underground and the surface and electronic tracking of trapped persons. Limits the liability of persons who carry out mine accident rescue or recovery operations. Directs the Secretary of Labor to require: (1) the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to establish and update criteria to certify the qualifications of mine rescue teams; and (2) mine operators to have one employee knowledgeable in emergency response on each shift and two certified mine rescue teams available at each mine within one hour. Requires notification of a mine accident to be provided to the Secretary by the operator within 15 minutes of knowledge of a death or potentially fatal injury. Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to establish within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) an Office of Mine Safety and Health to enhance the development of new mine safety technology and applications and to expedite the commercial availability and implementation of such technology. Authorizes the Director of NIOSH to: (1) award competitive grants and contracts; and (2) establish an interagency working group to share technology, research, and developments concerning mine safety and accident response. Requires the Secretary to require: (1) the temporary assignment of a department official as a liaison with the families of victims of mine tragedies involving multiple deaths; and (2) MSHA to be as responsive as possible to family requests for information and to serve as the primary communicator. Prescribes penalties for operator violations of health or safety standards or orders. Requires the Secretary to finalize mandatory health and safety standards relating to the sealing of abandoned areas in coal mines, which shall increase the current 20 psi standard. Establishes a Technical Study Panel to provide independent scientific review and recommendations regarding the use of belt air and the composition and fire retardent properties of belt materials in mines. Requires the Secretary of Education to establish a program to provide scholarships to individuals to increase the skilled workforce for mine operators, mine safety inspectors, and other MSHA personnel. Requires NIOSH to provide for research about various refuge alternatives in coal mines. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants for funding education and training programs to better identify and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines.

Student Bill of Rights

United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2006

Student Bill of Rights - Directs the Secretary of Education to make annual determinations as to whether each state's public school system provides all its students with educational resources to succeed academically and in life. Requires such education to enable students to: (1) acquire knowledge and skills necessary for responsible citizenship; (2) meet challenging academic achievement standards; and (3) compete and succeed in a global economy. Requires each system to do so by: (1) providing specified fundamentals of educational opportunity to students at each public elementary and secondary school; (2) providing educational services in school districts that receive funds for disadvantaged students that are at least comparable to educational services provided in school districts not receiving such funds; and (3) complying with any final federal or state court order in any matter concerning the adequacy or equitableness of the system. Requires each state receiving federal financial assistance for elementary and secondary education to submit an accountability plan to the Secretary annually. Requires withholding of specified portions of its federal funding for administrative expenses if a system: (1) fails to meet a yearly interim goal; (2) does not remedy, after two school years, a failure to provide comparable educational services to schools that receive funds for disadvantaged children; or (3) does not comply with a court order. Allows students or parents aggrieved by violations of this Act to bring civil actions for enforcement in federal district courts.

Clean EDGE Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2006

Clean Energy Development for a Growing Economy Act of 2006, or the Clean EDGE Act of 2006 - Instructs the President to develop measures to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign petroleum imports by reducing petroleum in end-uses. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify or create specified alternative fuel, vehicle, and energy tax credits. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a low-interest loan program for farmer-owned retail delivery of alternative fuels. Amends the Clean Air Act to authorize the President to promulgate rules to increase renewable fuel content of motor fuels and clean energy sources. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to develop Transit-Oriented Development Corridors. Declares that it is unlawful to sell crude oil, gasoline, or petroleum distillates at a price exceeding certain standards. Amends the Clayton Act to declare unlawful for any person to refuse to engage in certain regular petroleum or natural gas marketing practices with the primary intention of increasing prices or creating a market shortage. Oil and Gas Traders Oversight Act of 2006 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to instruct the Commodities Futures Trading Commission to promulgate rules governing reporting and recordkeeping for positions involving energy commodities. Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 and the United States Housing Act of 1937 regarding utility costs. Amends the Small Business Act and the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and the Secretary of Agriculture, respectively, to make loans to small business concerns injured by significant increases in gas and heating oil prices. Prescribes specified measures to realize improved vehicle fuel economy. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, the Energy Policy Act of 1992, and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 with respect to federal agency purchases of renewable energy products. Establishes the Clean Energy Security Collaborative. Instructs the Secretary of Transportation to establish the National Motor Vehicle Efficiency Improvement Program. Amends the Global Environmental Protection Assistance Act of 1989 to direct the President to establish a Task Force on International Clean Energy Cooperation. Establishes the Interagency Center in the Office of International Energy Market Development of the Department of Energy. Provides for clean energy assistance to developing countries. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish the Office of Advanced Energy Research, Technology Development, and Deployment. Prescribes guidelines for a near-term vehicle technology program. H-Prize Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to award competitive cash prizes biennially to advance hydrogen energy technologies. Expresses the sense of Congress that no tax should be imposed on hydrogen fuel before January 1, 2014. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to postsecondary educational institutions to train 10,000 individuals in green building and zero-energy home design and construction. Establishes the Clean Energy Investment Administration (CEIA). Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct Secretary of Energy to establish a Strategic Gasoline and Fuel Reserve. Establishes the Strategic Gasoline and Fuel Reserve Fund. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate certain tax incentives for major integrated oil companies. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal certain oil and gas royalty provisions.

Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2006

Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2006 - Amends the Social Security Act to require each state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that the state shall: (1) have in effect procedures for orderly and timely interstate placement of children; (2) complete home studies requested by another state within a specified period; (3) accept such studies received from another state; and (4) not impose any restrictions on contracting with a private agency to conduct such a study. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants for timely interstate home study incentive payments to states that have approved plans and that have completed, and provided the Secretary a report on, such studies. Expresses the sense of Congress that state agencies should cooperate with courts which have authority with respect to the placement of a child in foster care or for adoption for the purpose of locating a parent of the child. Amends the definition of "case review system" to: (1) increase the required frequency of state caseworker visits to a child who is placed in foster care outside the state in which the child's parents reside; (2) require a child's health and education record to be supplied to the child at no cost when he/she leaves foster care by reason of having attained the age of majority under state law; and (3) provide for a foster parent's right (currently, opportunity) to be heard in any proceeding (currently, review or hearing) respecting their foster child. Requires state courts to ensure that foster parents, pre-adoptive parents, and relative caregivers of a child in foster care are notified of any such proceedings. Includes among the purposes of grants to the highest state courts the assessment of the court's role in carrying out state laws requiring proceedings that determine the best strategy to use to expedite the interstate placement of children. Provides for consideration of out-of-state placements in permanency hearings, case plans, and case reviews. Requires each plan for child welfare services to include the assurance that the state will eliminate legal barriers to facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for children.

Joshua Haglund Justice and Peace Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2006

Joshua Haglund Justice and Peace Act of 2006 - Urges the Secretary of State to express to Armenian officials the serious concern of Congress with the lack of progress in resolving the murder of Joshua Haglund, a Minnesota resident who was teaching English in Armenia. Calls on Armenia to continue pursuing, in cooperation with U.S. officials, the investigation into his death, and to use all appropriate means to achieve justice in the case. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Education to fund the Joshua Haglund Memorial Peace Scholarship Fund at the University of Minnesota, which will finance study abroad scholarships and diversity training to further Joshua Haglund's vision of compassion, peace, and community service.

Fuel Consumption Education Act

United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2006

Fuel Consumption Education Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy to enter into a partnership with interested industry groups to create a public education campaign for U.S. drivers about immediate measures that can be taken to conserve transportation fuel. Terminates the America's Job Bank program.

Deductibility and Incentives to Promote Learning Opportunities and Maximize Assistance (DIPLOMA) Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2006

Deductibility and Incentives to Promote Learning Opportunities and Maximize Assistance (DIPLOMA) Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow an unlimited tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses for taxpayers whose adjusted gross incomes do not exceed $80,000 ($160,000 for joint returns); (2) extend such deduction through 2010; (3) allow a tax deduction for principal amounts paid on education loans for the first 60 months of such loans; (4) replace the Hope Scholarship tax credit with an earned tuition tax credit for the first $1,500 of qualified tuition and related expenses (50% of expenses over $1,500 up to $4,000) for four years of postsecondary education; and (5) make the tax credit for earned tuition and lifetime learning expenses refundable.

MINER Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2006

Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 or the MINER Act - Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to require coal mine operators to: (1) carry out continuously a program to improve accident preparedness and response at each mine; and (2) adopt and update an accident response plan for evacuations and for maintenance of individuals trapped underground. Requires such a plan to provide for: (1) redundant means and local coordination of communication; (2) post-accident location of underground personnel; (3) emergency air supplies: (4) self-rescuer caches, maintenance, and replacement; (5) escapeways and flame-resistant directional lifelines; (6) emergency training; and (7) within three years, post accident wireless communication between underground and the surface and electronic tracking of trapped persons. Limits the liability of persons who carry out mine accident rescue or recovery operations. Directs the Secretary of Labor to require: (1) the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to establish and update criteria to certify the qualifications of mine rescue teams; and (2) mine operators to have one employee knowledgeable in emergency response on each shift and two certified mine rescue teams available at each mine within one hour. Requires notification of a mine accident to be provided to the Secretary by the operator within 15 minutes of knowledge of a death or potentially fatal injury. Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to establish within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) an Office of Mine Safety and Health to enhance the development of new mine safety technology and applications and to expedite the commercial availability and implementation of such technology. Authorizes the Director of NIOSH to: (1) award competitive grants and contracts; and (2) establish an interagency working group to share technology, research, and developments concerning mine safety and accident response. Requires the Secretary to require: (1) the temporary assignment of a department official as a liaison with the families of victims of mine tragedies involving multiple deaths; and (2) MSHA to be as responsive as possible to family requests for information and to serve as the primary communicator. Prescribes penalties for operator violations of health or safety standards or orders. Requires the Secretary to finalize mandatory health and safety standards relating to the sealing of abandoned areas in coal mines, which shall increase the current 20 psi standard. Establishes a Technical Study Panel to provide independent scientific review and recommendations regarding the use of belt air and the composition and fire retardent properties of belt materials in mines. Requires the Secretary of Education to establish a program to provide scholarships to individuals to increase the skilled workforce for mine operators, mine safety inspectors, and other MSHA personnel. Requires NIOSH to provide for research about various refuge alternatives in coal mines. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants for funding education and training programs to better identify and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines.

Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2006

Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)) to establish and support demonstration, education, and other programs for cancer survivorship. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to: (1) expand and coordinate NIH cancer survivorship research activities; (2) establish a Division of Cancer Survivorship within NCI; and (3) provide for the expansion of cancer survivorship research activities at NCI-designated cancer centers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) expand the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program; (2) study the unique health challenges associated with cancer survivorship; and (3) carry out projects and interventions to improve the long-term health status of cancer survivors. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish programs that demonstrate how to prevent and control cancer and improve access to quality cancer care among racial and ethnic minorities and medically underserved populations with disproportionate incidence of, or death from, cancer; (2) promote cancer education, prevention, and early detection of cancer; (3) award grants for cancer control and prevention; and (4) establish the National Commission on Cancer Survivorship. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Directors of CDC and NCI, to make grants to monitor and evaluate the quality of cancer care, develop information concerning the quality of care, and monitor cancer survivorship.

Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2006

Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Associate Administrator of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to awards grants to eligible entities to: (1) provide education and training in newborn screening and congenital, genetic, and metabolic disorders to health care professionals and newborn screening laboratory personnel; (2) develop educational programs about newborn screening for parents, families, and patient advocacy and support groups; and (3) establish, maintain, and operate a system to assess and coordinate treatment relating to congenital, genetic, and metabolic disorders. Requires the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children to: (1) recommend a uniform screening panel for newborn screening programs that includes the heritable disorders for which all newborns should be screened; and (2) develop a model decision-matrix for newborn screening program expansion. Directs the Secretary to adopt or reject any new or pending recommendations by the Advisory Committee. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) provide for quality assurance for screening laboratories; (2) provide for population-based pilot testing for evaluating use of new screening tools on a mass scale; (3) collect, analyze, and make available data on certain heritable disorders; and (4) operate regional centers for the conduct of applied epidemiological research on the prevention of such disorders.

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 Oregon, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 16 May 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.

American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2006

American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2006 - Directs the President to: (1) convene a National Science and Technology Summit to examine the health and direction of the U.S. science and technology enterprise; (2) establish a President's Council on Innovation and Competitiveness; and (3) establish the Innovation Acceleration Grants Program to support and promote innovation in the United States. Directs the: (1) National Academy of Sciences to study barriers of U.S. businesses to innovation; (2) Assistant Secretary for Economic Development of the Department of Commerce to prepare and implement a strategy for greater funding for innovation in regional economic development; and (3) Secretary of Commerce to publish a Guide to Developing Successful Regional Innovation Hot Spots. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to: (1) establish a grant program to implement innovation-based experiential learning in elementary or middle schools; (2) expand the Graduate Research Fellowship Program and the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program to include an additional 1,250 fellowships and grants for each program over the next five-year period; (3) establish a clearinghouse and pilot programs relating to the creation or improvement of professional science master's degree programs; (4) study how the federal government should support the new discipline of service science; and (5) determine how federal awards and research activities assist in meeting critical national needs in physical sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Directs the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to: (1) establish an Aeronautics Institute for Research; (2) along with other officials, coordinate basic and fundamental research activities related to physical sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and (3) establish a Basic Research Executive Council. Authorizes appropriations through FY2011 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (Hollings Program). Requires the NIST Director to: (1) establish the Standards and Technology Acceleration Research Program; (2) support research and development of advanced manufacturing systems; (3) establish a pilot program of collaborative manufacturing research grants; (4) establish a program of competitive awards among participants in the Hollings Program; and (5) reestablish the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology.

H-Prize Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2006

H-Prize Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to award competitive cash prizes biennially to advance the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of hydrogen energy technologies. Instructs the Secretary to encourage broad participation, including by individuals, universities (including minority-serving institutions), and large and small businesses (including those owned or controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged persons). Directs the Secretary enter into an agreement with a private, nonprofit entity to administer the prize competitions. States that funding sources for such cash prizes shall consist of federal appropriated funds and funds provided by the administering entity. Designates prize-eligible categories, including: (1) advancements in certain hydrogen components or systems; (2) prototypes of hydrogen-powered vehicles or other hydrogen-based products that meet or exceed certain performance criteria; and (3) transformational changes in technologies for hydrogen distribution or production that meet or exceed far-reaching criteria. Declares that the federal government shall not, by virtue of offering or awarding a prize under this Act, be entitled to any intellectual property rights derived as a consequence of, or direct relation to, the participation by a registered participant in a competition authorized by this Act.

Pharmaceutical Technology and Education Enhancement Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

Pharmaceutical Technology and Education Enhancement Act - Requires the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to expand and intensify certain research and education programs regarding pharmaceutical science and engineering through the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education (NIPTE) and its member institutions. Requires such programs to focus on medical therapy development and manufacturing, analytical technologies, modeling, and informatics. Requires the Commissioner to establish a Coordinating Committee to: (1) assist with and coordinate research and develop strategies for the rapid design, enhanced manufacturing process, and improved quality of new medical technology; and (2) develop a plan for supporting, through NIPTE and federal agency participants, research and education relating to medical technology development and manufacturing.

National Emergency Management Reform and Enhancement Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

National Emergency Management Reform and Enhancement Act of 2006 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for the establishment within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of a Directorate of Emergency Management (DEM) (replacing the Directorate of Emergency Preparedness and Response). Requires DEM to be headed by an Under Secretary for Emergency Management and to include Deputy Under Secretaries for: (1) Emergency Preparedness and Mitigation; and (2) Emergency Response and Recovery. Directs the Under Secretary to serve as a Cabinet Officer during an Incident of National Significance. Establishes within DEM: (1) an Office of State, Local, and Tribal Government Coordination and an Office of Public and Community Preparedness; (2) a National Citizen Corps Council; (3) a National Incident Management System and National Response Plan Integration Center; and (4) a National Urban Search and Rescue Response System. Establishes in DHS Offices of Grants and Planning, Training and Exercises, Emergency Communications, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity and Telecommunications. Establishes the Emergency Communications Preparedness Center. Directs the Secretary of DHS to: (1) regularly update, revise, or replace essential capabilities for state, local, and tribal government emergency preparedness; (2) require any state or urban area that applies for federal homeland security assistance to maintain a catastrophic emergency plan; (3) establish the National Advisory Council on Emergency Management, a System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders Program, a Homeland Security Education Program in the National Capital Region, a Prepositioned Equipment Program, and a National Asset Inventory Program; (4) develop an integrated national public alert and warning system; and (5) establish within DHS a Gulf Coast Long-Term Recovery Office. Redesignates the Directorate for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection as the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. Requires the Secretary to: (1) ensure that all programs within DEM administering federal assistance maintain proper internal management controls to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse; and (2) annually certify that such controls are in place. Provides for the establishment within DHS of a Deputy Inspector General for Response and Recovery.

National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act of 2006 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept gifts for the benefit of the National Fish Hatchery System. Directs the Secretary, subject to the availability of appropriations, to: (1) carry out volunteer enhancement pilot projects at one or more System facilities; and (2) develop guidance for hatchery education programs. Authorizes the Secretary to approve community partnership enhancement projects and programs for a System facility.

New Homestead Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

New Homestead Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Education to repay a specified percentage (up to $2,000 per year) of certain education loans to an individual who completes a degree and both resides and is employed for at least five years in an area outside a metropolitan statistical area which for 20 years has a net out-migration of inhabitants of at least 10% of the county population (qualifying county). Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a: (1) tax credit for the lesser of $5,000 or 10% of the purchase price of a principal residence in a qualifying county; and (2) capital loss deduction with respect to a sale or exchange of a principal residence in a qualifying county. Provides for the creation of tax-exempt individual homestead accounts, funded by individual cash contributions and matching Federal contributions according to a specified formula, whose tax-free distributions after five years are used by residents of qualifying counties for qualified higher education or medical expenses, first-time homebuyer or business capitalization costs, or rollovers. Establishes a rural investment tax credit of 70% of the present value of new buildings (including rehabilitation projects) or 30% of the present value of existing buildings. Establishes a qualified rural small business investment credit of 30% of expenditures for starting or expanding a business, including costs for capital, plant and equipment, inventory expenses, and wages, but not including interest costs. Provides for accelerated depreciation of business property in rural investment projects. New Homestead Venture Capital Fund Act - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish the New Homestead Venture Capital Fund (Fund), owned by private investors, to generate and provide equity capital to rural businesses in qualifying counties. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide funding and guarantees for private investors in the Fund.

Science and Mathematics Education for Competitiveness Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

Science and Mathematics Education for Competitiveness Act - Amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to modify provisions concerning the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program. Renames such Program as the "Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program." Revises stipend and service obligation provisions. Rewrites provisions concerning mathematics and science education partnerships. Requires the Director to carry out a program of awarding grants to departments of science, mathematics, or engineering at institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish Centers for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering. Requires the Director to enter into an agreement with an appropriate party to assess the impact of the Professional Science Master's degree. Requires the Director to submit a report on the impact of the broader impacts grant criterion used by the NSF. Directs the Secretary of Energy to carry out education programs and activities in fields related to the Department of Energy's mission. Requires the Secretary to transmit a report on the inventory and evaluation of existing education programs and activities at the Department of Energy and at the National Laboratories. Authorizes appropriations through FY2011.

Hurricane Relief Extension Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

Hurricane Relief Extension Act of 2006 - Amends the Hurricane Education Recovery Act to allow the Secretary of Education to extend, beyond the 2006 school year, the period during which a state educational agency or local educational agency may obligate temporary emergency impact aid for elementary and secondary schools that enroll students displaced by Hurricane Katrina or Rita; though such funds may still be used only for expenses incurred during the 2005-2006 school year. Urges state educational agencies to distribute expeditiously any education relief funds received under such Act to impacted schools and institutions.

Small Business Reauthorization Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

Small Business Reauthorization Act of 2006 - Amends the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to reauthorize for FY2007-FY2010 various loan programs for small businesses guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA), including: (1) general section 7(a) start-up and equity loans; (2) the small business development center (SBDC) program; (3) the disaster mitigation pilot project; (4) the microloan program; (5) the drug-free workplace program; (6) the women's business center program; (7) the HUBZone (heavily underutilized business zone) Program; (8) veterans programs; (9) the federal and state technology partnership program; (10) the new markets venture capital program; and (11) the pilot program for very small business concerns. Certified Development Company Program Act - Requires certified development companies (CDCs) which elect not to apply for authority to foreclose and liquidate defaulted loans guaranteed by the SBA, or which the SBA Administrator determines to be ineligible for such authority, to contract with a qualified third party to perform such foreclosures and liquidation. Provides additional authorities for CDCs to aid small businesses, including additional equity, debt refinancing, and lowering of loan fees. Provides criteria under which state and local development companies may qualify as CDCs. Small Business Lending Improvement Act - Authorizes the Administrator to establish a National Preferred Lenders Program. Increases maximum loan amounts for small businesses. Authorizes the Administrator to guarantee the payment of redemption price and prioritized payments on participating securities issued by small business investment companies providing equity capital to small businesses. National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act - Directs the Administrator to establish a program to provide regulatory compliance assistance to small businesses through SBDCs, the Association of Small Business Development Centers, and federal compliance partnership programs. Vocational and Technical Entrepreneurship Development Act - Directs the Administrator to establish a program of grants to state SBDCs for the provision of technical assistance to secondary, vocational, or technical schools for the development and implementation of curricula designed to promote vocational and technical entrepreneurship. Provides SBDC outreach, development, and small business enhancement assistance to Indian tribe members, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Second-Stage Small Business Development Act - Establishes a pilot program of grants for second-stage (high-growth) small businesses for the development of peer learning opportunities. Establishes in the SBA the Associate Administrator for International Trade.

Research for Competitiveness Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

Early Career Research Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out a program of awarding grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher education and research institutions to conduct research in fields relevant to the mission of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Permits the existing Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program to be designated as the mechanism for awarding such grants. Requires reports describing the: (1) distribution of the institutions of the awardees of such program since FY2001 among specified categories of institutions of higher education; and (2) impact of such program on the ability of young faculty to compete for NSF research grants. Requires the Undersecretary for Science of the Department of Energy to carry out a program of awarding grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher education and research institutions to conduct research in fields relevant to the mission of the the Department of Energy (DOE). Requires submission of a report on efforts to recruit and retain young scientists and engineers at the early stages of their careers at the DOE laboratories. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to report on efforts to recruit and retain young scientists and engineers at the early stages of their careers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology laboratories and joint institutes.

Research for Competitiveness Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2006

Research for Competitiveness Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out a program of awarding competitive grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher education and research institutions to conduct, high-risk, high-return research in areas relevant to industry. Directs the Under Secretary for Science of the Department of Energy to carry out a program of awarding competitive grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher education and research institutions to conduct high-risk, high-return research in areas relevant to energy production, storage, and use.

Nurse Loan Forgiveness Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2006

Nurse Loan Forgiveness Act of 2006 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to include, under HEA student loan forgiveness and cancellation programs, nurses who serve at least one calendar year in an approved health care facility or setting. Limits the maximum amount of such loan repayment by the Secretary of Education to not more than $2,000 after the first year of such a nurse's employment, with incremental increases after the second through fourth years, up to $5,000 after the fifth year of such employment.

John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2006

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD), military construction, and national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE) for FY2007. Authorizes appropriations to DOD for: (1) procurement, including aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement; (2) research, development, test, and evaluation, including missile defense; (3) operation and maintenance, including defense working capital funds, the defense health program, chemical agents and munitions destruction, and environmental restoration; (4) active and reserve military personnel, including end strengths; (5) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program; (6) Guard and reserve forces facilities; (7) increased costs due to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; and (8) the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Sets forth provisions or requirements concerning: (1) active and reserve military personnel, including promotion policy and joint officer management; (2) military education and training, including defense dependents' education; (3) military pay and allowances; (4) retired pay and survivor benefits; (5) military health care; (6) acquisition policy and management, including defense industrial base matters; (7) DOD organization and management, including space activities; (8) financial, counterdrug, defense intelligence, and defense against terrorism and related security matters; (9) civilian personnel matters; (10) matters relating to other nations; and (11) cooperative threat reduction with states of the former Soviet Union. Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2007 for military construction for the Armed Forces and defense agencies.

Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2006

Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2007. Authorizes appropriations to DOD for: (1) procurement, including aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement; (2) research, development, test, and evaluation, including science and technology projects and ballistic missile defense programs; (3) operation and maintenance, including defense working capital funds, the defense health program, chemical agents and munitions destruction, drug interdiction and counter-drug activities, and environmental restoration; and (4) active and reserve personnel, including end strengths and the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Extends certain bonus, special, and incentive pay authorities. Authorizes certain: (1) travel and transportation allowances; and (2) military retired pay and survivor benefits. Sets forth provisions or requirements concerning: (1) active and reserve military personnel policy; (2) military education and training; (3) defense dependents' education; (4) military health care; (5) acquisition policy and management, including defense industrial base and defense contractor matters; (6) DOD organization and management, including space activities; (7) budget and financial matters; (8) counter-drug activities and matters related to homeland security; (9) DOD civilian personnel policy; (10) matters relating to other nations; and (11) cooperative threat reduction with states of the former Soviet Union. Authorizes appropriations for DOD for FY2007 for additional costs due to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, specifically for: (1) procurement; (2) operation and maintenance; (3) the defense health program; (4) military personnel; (5) the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund; (6) classified programs; and (7) the Iraq Freedom Fund.

Child Health Investment for Long-Term Development (CHILD and Newborn) Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2006

Child Health Investment for Long-term Development (CHILD and Newborn) Act of 2006 - Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to furnish assistance to improve the health of newborns, children, and mothers in developing countries, including activities relating to: (1) health systems and medical and health personnel training; (2) health access; (3) pharmaceutical supplies; (4) health education; (5) HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis counseling and treatment; and (6) safe water and sanitation access. Directs the President to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve the health of newborns, children, and mothers, including reducing newborn, child, and maternal mortality, in developing countries. Establishes the Interagency Task Force on Child Survival and Maternal Health in Developing Countries.

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2006

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2006 - Amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to revise requirements for health care programs and services for Indians, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations. Provides for: (1) enrollment of qualified Indians in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) under title XXI of the Social Security Act (SSA), as well as Medicare under SSA title XVIII and Medicaid under SSA title XIX (as under current law); and (2) related payments to Indian Health Programs and Urban Indian Organizations operating in the state. Replaces the Urban Health Programs Branch with a Division of Urban Indian Health. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Indian Health Service and Indian tribes and tribal organizations, to consolidate certain existing programs into a new program of comprehensive behavioral health, prevention, treatment, and aftercare for Indian tribes. Establishes the National Bi-Partisan Indian Health Care Commission to: (1) establish a Study Committee to study the extent of Indian health services needs; (2) review and analyze the Study Committee's report; and (3) make recommendations to Congress regarding the delivery of federal health care services to Indians. Reauthorizes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act through FY2015. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (SCHIP) to conform with this Act. Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to direct the Secretary to establish the Native American Health and Wellness Foundation.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Responsibility, and Opportunity Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2006

Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Responsibility, and Opportunity Act of 2006 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to local educational agencies, state and local public health agencies, and nonprofit private entities for projects to provide education on preventing teen pregnancies. Gives priority to communities with significantly above averages rates of teen pregnancy. Requires the Secretary to establish criteria to evaluate such projects. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase authorized appropriations for community learning centers. Authorizes appropriations for physical education programs. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize appropriations for TRIO and GEARUP programs. Authorizes the Secretary to make matching grants to public or nonprofit private entities for demonstrating innovative approaches to prevent teen pregnancies.

401Kids Family Savings Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2006

401Kids Family Savings Act of 2006 - Amends the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 to extend through 2015 provisions allowing increased annual contributions to Coverdell education savings accounts. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow tax-free distributions from a Coverdell education savings account for first-time homebuyer expenses; (2) permit rollovers from Coverdell education savings accounts to Roth individual retirement accounts (Roth IRAs); and (3) rename Coverdell education savings accounts as 401Kids Savings Accounts.

Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2006

Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require schools and libraries that receive universal service support to enforce a policy that prohibits access to a commercial social networking website or chat room through which minors may easily: (1) access or be presented with obscene or indecent material; (2) be subject to unlawful sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or repeated offensive sexual comments from adults; or (3) access other material that is harmful to minors. Allows an administrator, supervisor, or other authorized person to disable such a technology protection measure during use by an adult, or by minors with adult supervision, to enable access for educational purposes. Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) establish an advisory board; (2) annually publish a list of commercial social networking websites and chat rooms that have been shown to allow sexual predators easy access to personal information of, and contact with, children; (3) issue a consumer alert regarding use of the Internet by child predators and the potential dangers to children because of such use, including the potential dangers of commercial social networking websites and chat rooms; and (4) establish a website resource of information for parents, teachers, school administrators, and others regarding potential dangers posed by the use of the Internet by children.

Troy R. Justesen, of Utah, to be Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education, Department of Education, vice Susan K. Sclafani.

United States · United States Senate · 8 May 2006

Medicare Part D Outreach and Enrollment Enhancement Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2006

Medicare Part D Outreach and Enrollment Enhancement Act of 2006 - Authorizes and makes appropriations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for additional grants to state health insurance counseling and assistance (HICA) programs to conduct outreach and education related to enrollment in the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (SSA). Makes appropriations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide funding to Area Agencies on Aging and Native American aging programs to conduct outreach and education related to the Medicare prescription drug program under part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of SSA title XVIII. Amends SSA title XVIII part D to provide a special enrollment period for individuals who qualify for a low- income-related subsidy under the Medicare prescription drug program.

Student and Teacher Safety Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2006

Student and Teacher Safety Act of 2006 - Requires states, local educational agencies, and school districts to deem a search of any minor student on public school grounds to be reasonable and permissible if conducted by a full-time teacher or school official, acting on any colorable suspicion based on professional experience and judgment, to ensure that the school remain free of all weapons, dangerous materials, or illegal narcotics. Denies Safe Schools and Citizenship Education funds, provided under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, to states, local educational agencies, and school districts that fail to deem such searches reasonable and permissible.

Headwaters Protection and Restoration Act

United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2006

Headwaters Protection and Restoration Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior (for Bureau of Land Management [BLM] land) or the Secretary of Agriculture (for National Forest System land) to consider emergency event procedures in response to watershed and forest emergencies. Authorizes the Secretary concerned to: (1) carry out projects in Colorado to reduce hazardous fuel or prevent the spread of bark beetles to adjacent trees; (2) prepare emergency event proposals or consider proposals from the governor, the state forester, a water conservation district, or an at-risk community; and (3) conduct emergency event evaluations in response to a request or to an emergency event that affects a municipal water supply system, a wildland-urban interface, or other public or private property and that has caused or will cause significant damage o to federal land or adjacent nonfederal land. Requires the Secretary concerned to carry out a program in Colorado to: (1) ensure the long-term health of forests; and (2) reduce the risk of catastrophic fire, flooding, and watershed destruction. Extends the authority of the Secretaries to enter into federal and state cooperative watershed restoration and protection agreements and contracts. Requires the Secretary concerned to provide: (1) financial assistance for long-term stewardship projects in certain areas; and (2) grants and low-cost loans to small business concerns in the Colorado forest product industry. Establishes the Colorado Forest Health Fund from which amounts shall be transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out measures to improve forest health and reduce hazardous fuels. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) provide grants for research and development and marketing of forest products and for research in higher elevation forests; and (2) collaborate on research on and the development and transfer of broader landscape treatment strategies and ways to integrate best science with community needs. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide: (1) financial assistance under the Community and Private Land Fire Assistance Program to the Colorado State Forest Service to establish a grant program to help improve private forest land; and (2) grants to Colorado for the Colorado Fuels for Schools program under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.