Energy

Empower America: Securing America's Energy Future Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2006

Empower America: Securing America's Energy Future Act of 2006 - Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Promotion Act of 2006 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to make eligible for Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantees any large-scale coal-to-liquid facilities that use domestic coal resources to produce at least 10,000 barrels a day of liquid transportation fuel. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to establish a coal-to-liquid facilities loan program. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer funds to the Secretary for a clean coal power initiative. Gas Petroleum Refiner Improvement and Community Empowerment Act, or the Gas PRICE Act - Obligates the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take specified steps to streamline the petroleum refinery permitting process. Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2006 - Sets forth actions under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) with respect to oil and natural gas production from leased tracts within the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), especially the sharing of OCS receipts with neighboring states. Rigs to Reefs Act of 2006 - Revises OCSLA to direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue regulations for authorizing use of a decommissioned offshore oil and gas platform or other facility for an artificial reef, scientific research, or any other authorized use. Federal Energy Natural Resources Enhancement Fund Act of 2006 - Institutes a Federal Energy Natural Resources Enhancement Fund. Energy and Mineral Schools Reinvestment Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to provide funds to historic and existing state-chartered recognized petroleum or mining schools and related institutions. National GEO Fund Act of 2006 - Creates a National Geo Fund for grants to support geothermal and geopressure oil and gas energy production, as well as a new program for fuel production from strategic unconventional resources and oil and gas resources using CO2 enhanced recovery. Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 2006 - Keeps specified areas in the Coastal Plain of Alaska, including the Sadlerochit Spring Area, separate from oil and natural gas leasing activity for purposes of environmental, wildlife, and cultural management. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a competitive and environmentally sound oil and gas leasing program on the Coastal Plain. Specifies lease terms and related requirements. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 to fund biomass and other renewable energy resource research and development. Directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct an electric drive transportation technology research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow an income tax credit for qualified teleworking expenses; and (2) exclude employer-provided computer equipment from gross income as a fringe benefit. Corporate Average Fuel Economy Reform Act of 2006 - Amends federal transportation law to require the Secretary of Transportation to revise average fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide funding for the Advanced Building Efficiency Testbed and energy efficient public building programs, and the energy efficiency public information initiative. Gasoline Consumer Anti-Price-Gouging Protection Act - Prohibits suppliers from selling gasoline or petroleum distillates at unjustifiably increased prices in areas where the President or the Federal Trade Commission has proclaimed an emergency owing to an abnormal market disruption. Prescribes civil and criminal penalties. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the excise tax credit for coal-to-liquids, the alternative motor vehicle credit, biodiesel income and excise tax credits, the investment tax credit with respect to solar energy property and qualified fuel cell property, the credit for production of natural gas, and the credit for residential energy efficient property. Extends specified tax incentives to encourage cellulosic ethanol production and the renewable electricity production credit. Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the authority of the EPA Administrator to make boutique fuel reductions.

American-Made Energy Freedom Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2006

American-Made Energy Freedom Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase tax credits for cellulosic biomass ethanol; (2) extend the energy credit for solar and fuel cell property; (3) extend and modify the credits for residential energy efficient property and for certain liquid fuel derived from coal; and (4) establish the American-Made Energy Trust Fund to implement designated sections of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, including climate change technology deployment. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Coastal Plain of Alaska. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and any leasing or development leading to such production. Prescribes procedures for: (1) lease sales; (2) grants of leases; and (3) Coastal Plain environmental protection; (4) rights-of-way and easements for the transportation of oil and gas across the Coastal Plain. Directs the Secretary to convey: (1) the surface estate of specified lands to the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation; and (2) the remaining subsurface estate of specified lands to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. Establishes the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to provide financial assistance to specified entities directly impacted by oil and gas production and exploration on the Coastal Plain.

To permit certain expenditures from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund.

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2006

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize expenditures from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund to carry out various programs enacted by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to protect groundwater, including underground storage tank and piping secondary containment, maintenance of government-owned tanks, tank inspection, training for tank operators, state compliance and enforcement activities, prevention of delivery of a regulated substance into a tank, and protection of tanks on Indian reservations or tribal lands.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S PLAN FOR CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

United States · United States House of Representatives · 20 September 2006

To require persons seeking Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval for a liquefied natural gas facility to identify employees and agents engaged in activities to persuade communities of the benefits of such approval.

United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2006

Instructs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to require an applicant for approval under the Natural Gas Act of the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a liquefied natural gas facility to identify each employee or agent engaged in activities to persuade communities of the benefits of such approval. Requires the Commission to maintain a publicly available database listing all such employees and agents.

Resources Origin and Commodity Knowledge Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2006

Resources Origin and Commodity Knowledge Act - Establishes the Mineral Commodity Information Administration under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior. Vests management of the Administration in an Administrator and Assistant Administrators whose functions include: (1) commodity information development and analysis; (2) mineral industry analysis; and (3) data acquisition and analysis. Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer to the Administrator: (1) at least 200 full-time equivalent positions from the U.S. Geological Survey; and (2) at least 100 full time equivalent positions of an administrative nature from the Department of the Interior. Sets forth the duties of the Administrator, including: (1) implementation of a Mineral Commodity Data and Information Program; (2) continuance of the Mineral Commodity Data Time Series; (3) projections of usage patterns; (4) publication of mineral commodity reports; and (5) analyses of the foreign and domestic mineral commodities that will be required by the United States to sustain the energy supply, demand, and prices projected by the Annual Energy Outlook analysis. Directs the Administrator to establish the Mineral Commodity Advisory Committee.

NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL POLICY, AND HYDROELECTRIC LICENSE EXTENSION AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY LEGISLATION

United States · United States House of Representatives · 13 September 2006

Healthy Farms, Foods, and Fuels Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2006

Healthy Farms, Foods, and Fuels Act of 2006 - Extends: (1) the conservation reserve program; (2) the wetlands reserve program; (3) the conservation security program; (4) the grassland reserve program; (5) the environmental quality incentives program; (6) the wildlife habitat incentive program; (7) the agricultural management assistance program; and (8) the organic agriculture research and extension initiative. Establishes: (1) the cooperative conservation partnership initiative; (2) the suburban and community forestry and open space program; (3) an integrated pest management initiative; and (4) a conservation initiative for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Revises: (1) the farmland protection program; (2) funding for the healthy forests reserve program; and (3) the national organic certification and transition cost share program. Makes permanent funding available for: (1) the education grant program for Hispanic-serving institutions; and (2) the fresh fruit and vegetable program. Revises and extends the biorefinery development program. Extends: (1) the energy audit and renewable energy development program; (2) the renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements program; (3) the Department of Agriculture bioenergy program; (4) biomass research and development; and (5) carbon cycle research. Extends: (1) the community food project grant program; (2) the farm-to-cafeteria program; (3) WIC farmers' market nutrition program; (4) the senior farmers' market nutrition program; and (5) farmers' market promotion program.

Rural Energy for America Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2006

Rural Energy for America Act of 2006 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to rename the renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements program as the rural energy for America program (REAP). Makes rural school districts eligible for REAP. Authorizes: (1) production-based incentives in lieu of grants for electricity production from renewable energy systems contingent upon third-party sales; and (2) matching assistance for feasibility studies. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to eligible entities to provide rebates for farmers, ranchers, rural school districts, and rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. Defines eligible entities as: (1) a state energy or agriculture office; (2) a nonprofit state-based energy efficiency or renewable energy organization that uses public funds provided directly or under contract with a state agency; (3) any other nonprofit organization with a demonstrated ability to administer a statewide energy efficiency or renewable energy rebate program; or (4) a consortium of such entities. Limits rebates to the lower of $10,000 or 50% of the cost to purchase a renewable energy system or an energy efficiency improvement. Extends REAP funding through FY 2012 with set-asides for the rebate program. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Secretary should implement a direct loan program to complement REAP grants.

Promoting transparency of natural resource revenues in resource-rich developing countries to help combat corruption, encouraging democracy and accountable government in such countries, and ensuring energy security through a more stable operating environment in such countries.

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2006

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. government should: (1) support and participate in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and assist African countries in implementing EITI or in adopting resource revenue transparency policies; (2) work with the international community to develop a monitoring process for nonmining natural resources, such as timber; (3) require natural resource extraction companies to disclose natural resource revenue payments on a country-by-country basis; (4) consider a government's substantive efforts or failure to ensure revenue transparency for critical natural resource sectors when determining eligibility for U.S. trade preference programs; (5) support disclosure of resource revenues and ex-ante disclosure of foreign investment contracts underpinning extractive sector projects, making such disclosures a condition of support for financing by the United States Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Export-Import Bank of the United States; and (6) work with international financial institutions to require resource revenue and contract transparency as a condition for lending or assistance to resource-rich developing countries.

Calling on Iran to immediately fulfill its nuclear nonproliferation obligations, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2006

Condemns Iran's repeated failure to fulfill its nuclear nonproliferation obligations. Calls on the U.N. Security Council and all civilized nations to condemn Iran for: (1) violations of its nuclear nonproliferation obligations; and (2) its stated desire to use its nuclear capabilities to ensure Israel is "wiped off the map" and other anti-Semitic statements and policies. Demands that Iran halt all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development. Expresses support of the role of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its efforts to settle all remaining nonproliferation issues with respect to Iran. Calls on all Security Council members to remain focused on Iran's noncompliance with its obligations under Security Council Resolution 1696, and if such noncompliance continues to apply appropriate multilateral sanctions against Iran. Calls on the Bush administration to implement and exhaust every diplomatic and economic sanction at its disposal to ensure that the government of Iran abandons its nuclear activities and complies with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations.

Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage Contingent Cost Allocation Act

United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2006

Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage Contingent Cost Allocation Act - Declares that certain funds designated to provide indemnification under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (Price-Anderson Act) shall be used to cover the contingent cost resulting from any nuclear incident for which such funds would be available to compensate for public liability (Price-Anderson incident). States that certain funds made available to the United States under the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage shall be used to satisfy public liability resulting from a Price-Anderson incident. Requires participation by each nuclear supplier in a retrospective risk pooling program to cover the contingent cost resulting from a nuclear incident that is not a Price-Anderson incident.

A bill to provide for the extension of preliminary permit periods by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for certain hydroelectric projects in the State of Alaska.

United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2006

Authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), upon request from the preliminary permit holder of a Thomas Bay (Alaska) project, to extend the preliminary permit period for up to two consecutive three-year periods following expiration of the initial preliminary project permit.

Biofuels Investment Trust Fund Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2006

Biofuels Investment Trust Fund Act - Establishes a Biofuels Investment Trust Fund consisting of transferred amounts received in the U.S. Treasury from duties collected on imports of ethyl alcohol or any mixture containing ethyl alcohol that is to be used as a fuel or in producing a mixture of gasoline and alcohol, a mixture of a special fuel and alcohol, or any other mixture to be used as a fuel (including motor fuel). Directs the Secretary of Energy to use amounts in the Trust Fund to: (1) provide assistance to farmers, producers, biorefiners, researchers, universities, and other persons or entities involved in the research, development, and deployment, or production of biofuels, especially for cellulosic ethanol production; or (2) advance research, development, and deployment of biofuels, especially cellulosic ethanol produced from biomass feedstocks.

Armed Forces Employment Support Act

United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2006

Armed Forces Employment Support Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the federal government should support private sector employment initiatives for military personnel. Authorizes the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to make grants to the Armed Forces Support Foundation to support Foundation activities in assisting members of the National Guard and reserves and former members of the Armed Forces in securing employment in the private sector. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Foundation should enter into agreements with entities involved in energy, transportation, aerospace, domestic security, and other areas in which the employment of individuals with past military experience would be of particular utility.

RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

United States · United States House of Representatives · 2 August 2006

Small Business Reauthorization and Improvements Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2006

Small Business Reauthorization and Improvements Act of 2006 - Amends the Small Business Act (the Act) to reauthorize for FY2007-FY2009 certain small business assistance programs of the Small Business Administration (SBA), including a predisaster mitigation program and grants to microloan program intermediaries and technical assistance providers. Makes permanent the Small Business Innovation Research Program. Extends through FY2009 various loan programs for small businesses under the Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, including: (1) general section 7(a) start-up and equity loans; (2) the microloan program; (3) certified development company financing; (4) the Service Corps of Retired Executives program; (5) disaster loan programs; and (6) the new markets venture capital program. Establishes: (1) the National Preferred Lenders Program; and (2) an Office of Minority Small Business Development. Authorizes: (1) the SBA Administrator to guarantee participating debentures issued by a licensed company to interim small business funding providers; (2) various development company loan programs, to be known collectively as the local development business loan program; (3) the Administrator to guarantee loans made by private lenders to small businesses located in disaster areas, including loans for disaster relief and reconstruction; (4) funding for veterans' and reservists' small business loan programs; (5) energy loans for small businesses; and (6) assistance for women-owned small businesses. Increases funding under the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Provides technical and financial assistance for small business innovation. Native American Small Business Development Act of 2006 - Establishes a Native American small business development program and related pilot programs. National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act of 2006 - Establishes a pilot program to assist small businesses in complying with federal and state regulatory requirements. Small Business Intermediary Lending Pilot Program Act of 2006 - Establishes a small business intermediary lending pilot program. Establishes a: (1) pilot program for the development of peer learning opportunities for second-stage (high-growth) small businesses; (2) microenterprise technical assistance and capacity building grant program; and (3) minority entrepreneurship and innovation pilot program.

PROGRESS Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2006

Program for Real Energy Security Act or the PROGRESS Act - Establishes the National Commission on Energy Security and Transition to New Fuels. Sets forth the duties of the Commission, including to make recommendations to Congress and the President for: (1) preserving the national energy security in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster; and (2) reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil over a specified period. Establishes: (1) the New Manhattan Center for High Efficiency Vehicles; and (2) the Advisory Council on Federal Participation. Requires the Secretary of Energy to carry out a program of grants to federal and private sector researchers (including the Center) to research and develop alternative fuels and technologies to improve the productivity of U.S. automotive firms in the manufacture of high efficiency vehicles. Establishes a grant program to provide assistance to retail and wholesale motor fuel dealers or other entities to install, replace, or convert motor fuel storage and dispensing infrastructure for use in the storage and dispensing of biobased fuels. Sets forth requirements calling for: (1) the production and distribution of biobased fuels (ethanol) and deployment of new engine technologies for fuel-flexible, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and biodiesel vehicles; (2) greater use of alternative fuels in dual fueled vehicles operating in the federal fleet; and (3) the increase and expansion of employer-provided mass transit fringe benefits. Transit Rail Accommodation Improvement and Needs Act - Allows for the shared use of rail carrier trackage and rail rights-of-way by mass transportation authorities. Authorizes capital investment grants to improve intercity passenger rail service. Allows a tax credit to holders of qualified high-speed rail infrastructure bonds. Railroad Track Modernization Act of 2006 - Establishes a capital grant program for the rehabilitation, preservation, or improvement of railroad track of class II and class III railroads. Requires the issuance of regulations implementing reliability standards for the safe transportation of energy supplies by rail.

Alternative Liquid Transportation Fuel Promotion Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2006

Alternative Liquid Transportation Fuel Promotion Act of 2006 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to declare eligible for a federal loan guarantee commitment large-scale coal-to-liquid facilities that use coal resources of the United States to produce at least 5,000 barrels a day of liquid transportation fuel. Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a federal loan program to pay the federal share of the cost of obtaining any services necessary for the planning, permitting, and construction of a coal-to-liquid facility. Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct the Secretary to study and report to certain congressional committees on the feasibility and suitability of maintaining coal-to-liquid products in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Authorizes the Secretary to construct or lease storage facilities in the vicinity of pipeline infrastructure and at least one military base, but outside the boundaries of any state on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

Empowering America Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2006

Empowering America Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase and extend through 2015: (1) the tax credit for residential energy efficient property; (2) the tax credit for nonbusiness energy property; and (3) the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings. Extends through 2015 the energy tax credit for equipment which uses solar energy. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to extend through FY2015 funding of energy efficient appliance rebate programs. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to require that states, counties, and Indian tribes which receive community development block grants limit the cost of permits or licenses for the construction or installation of solar energy systems in residential and nonresidential structures. Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to issue regulations to prohibit restrictions on the installation, construction, maintenance, or use of a solar energy system in a single family residence. Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) study the effectiveness of the conservation and energy efficiency tax incentives enacted by the Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005 and report to Congress on such study; and (2) establish a Center for Advanced Solar Research and Development.

TEAM up for Energy Independence Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2006

To Encourage Alternatively fueled vehicle Manufacturing up for Energy Independence Act of 2006 or the TEAM up for Energy Independence Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on the first retail sale of each passenger automobile sold by manufacturers, producers, or importers. Exempts alternative fueled automobiles from such tax. Amends federal transportation law to revise the definitons of "automobile" and "passenger automobile" to increase the gross vehicle weight limit from 6,000 to 10,000 pounds. Directs the Secretary of Energy to make grants for alternative fuel refueling infrastructure projects from a trust fund into which revenues from the excise tax on passenger automobiles shall be deposited. Amends the Automobile Information Disclosure Act to require labeling for new automobiles to indicate: (1) whether a new automobile is an alternative fueled automobile; and (2) the types of fuel on which such automobile can operate.

Pension Protection Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2006

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Pension Protection Act of 2006 - Title I: Reform of Funding Rules for Single-Employer Defined Benefit Pension Plans: Subtitle A: Amendments to Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 - (Sec. 101) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to repeal existing funding rules for defined benefit pension plans for plan years beginning after 2007. Establishes new minimum funding standards for single-employer defined benefit pension plans, single-employer money purchase plans, and multiemployer plans. Requires employers to pay certain minimum required contributions. Allows the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) waive minimum funding standards in the event of a temporary substantial business hardship for single-employer plans or a substantial business hardship in the case of a multiemployer plan if application of the standard would be adverse to the interests of plan participants in the aggregate; (2) require a single-employer maintaining such a plan to provide security to such plan as a condition for granting or modifying a waiver. Limits the number of waivers that may be granted. Prohibits any amendment which increases the liability of a plan from being adopted if a waiver is in effect. (Sec. 102) Amends ERISA to set forth funding rules for single-employer defined benefit pension plans. Makes the minimum required contribution for single-employer plans the sum of the target normal cost of the plan for the plan year, the shortfall amortization charge, and the waiver amortization charge. Allows funding shortfalls to be amortized over seven years. Allows waiver charges to be amortized over five years. Sets forth rules governing the valuation of plan assets and liabilities. Allows a plan to determine the value of plan assets using fair market value if certain requirements are met. Requires a determination of present value to be based on actuarial assumptions and methods which: (1) are reasonable, taking into account the experience of the plan and reasonable expectations; and (2) offer the actuary's best estimate of anticipated experience under the plan. Establishes a segmented interest rate for determining the present value of plan benefits. Bases the interest rate on the corporate bond yield curve for bonds which mature at three different times: in less than 5 years; between 5 and 20 years; and after 20 years. Defines "corporate bond yield curve" as a yield curve prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury which reflects the two-year average of monthly yields on investment grade corporate bonds with varying maturities and that are in the top three quality levels available. Sets forth transition rules for plans to implement the segmented interest rates. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe mortality tables to be used for determining any present value based on the actual experience of pension plans and projected trends in such experience. Requires such tables to be revised at least every 10 years to reflect the actual experience of pension plans and projected trends in such experience. Sets forth special rules for at-risk plans based on whether they are underfunded. Requires such plans to make different actuarial assumptions, which include assuming that participants will retire at the earliest possible date. (Sec. 103) Sets forth limitations on distributions and benefit accruals under single-employer plans. Prohibits the payment of benefits due to plant shutdowns and other unpredictable contingent events if the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year: (1) is less than 60%; or (2) would be less than 60% taking into account such occurrence. Prohibits underfunded plans, with funding targets less than 80% as of their valuation dates, from: (1) adopting amendments that increase plan liabilities; and (2) providing lump sum distributions or other accelerated forms of benefits. Prohibits underfunded plans, with funding targets less than 60% as of their valuation dates, from all future benefit accruals. Sets forth exceptions to such prohibitions, as well as special timing rules, provisions for restoration of benefits, and notice requirements. (Sec. 104) Delays the effective date of the funding rules under this Act for eligible cooperative plans until: (1) the first plan year for which the plan ceases to be an eligible cooperative plan; or (2) January 1, 2017. Revises the interest rate used to determine the current liability and required contribution of an eligible cooperative plan sponsored by multiple employers to use the third segment rate, which is the rate of interest based on the corporate bond yield curve for such month taking into account only bonds maturing after 20 years. Makes such rate effective after 2007 and before new funding rules apply. (Sec. 105) Delays application of the funding rules for a PBGC settlement plan until January 1, 2014. Applies the third segment rate after 2007 and before 2014 to determine such a plan's current liability and required contribution. (Sec. 106) Delays application of the funding rules for an eligible government contractor cooperative plan until, at the latest, January 1, 2011. Applies the third segment rate after 2007 and before the funding rules become effective. (Sec. 107) Makes technical and conforming amendments. Subtitle B: Amendments to Internal Revenue Code of 1986 - (Sec. 111) Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to establish minimum funding standards for single-employer defined benefit pension plans. (Sec. 112) Sets forth funding rules for single-employer defined benefit pension plans. (Sec. 113) Sets forth limitations on distributions and benefit accruals under single-employer plans. (Sec. 114) Makes technical and conforming amendments. (Sec. 115) Sets forth a special funding rule for any underfunded plan sponsored by an employer engaged primarily in the interurban or interstate passenger bus service. (Sec. 116) Sets forth the treatment, including tax treatment, of deferred compensation to certain executives or highly compensated employees under nonqualified deferred compensation plans during any period when an employer's defined benefit plan is in, or within six months of, at-risk status or bankruptcy. Title II: Funding Rules for Multiemployer Defined Benefit Plans and Related Provisions - Subtitle A: Amendments to Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 - (Sec. 201) Amends ERISA to establish new funding rules for multiemployer defined benefit plans. Requires amounts attributable to unfunded past service liability, plan amendments, investment gains and losses, actuarial changes, and waived funding deficiency to be amortized over 15 years. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to extend the amortization period for up to 5 years upon a determination that: (1) without the extension, the plan would have an accumulated funding deficiency in any of the next 10 plan years; (2) the plan sponsor has adopted a plan to improve the plan's funded status; and (3) the plan is projected to have sufficient assets to pay expected benefit liabilities and other anticipated expenses in a timely manner. Authorizes the Secretary to grant an additional 5-year extension if not permitting it would result in substantial risk to voluntary continuation of the plan, or substantial curtailment of pension benefit levels or employee compensation, and be adverse to plan participants' aggregate interests. (Sec. 202) Establishes additional funding rules for multiemployer plans in endangered or critical status, including certification and notice requirements. Deems a plan to be in endangered status if it is not in critical status for the plan year and either: (1) its funded percentage for the plan year is less than 80%; or (2) it has an accumulated funding deficiency for the plan year or is projected to have such a deficiency for any of the six succeeding plan years, taking into account any extension of certain amortization periods. Deems plans to be in critical status if their funded percentage is less than 65% and certain other conditions are present, and in specified alternative circumstances. Requires for endangered plans (in various degrees of endangered status): (1) funding improvement plans; (2) sponsor actions, maintenance of contributions, and benefit restrictions pending such funding improvement plans' approval; (3) certain restrictions upon such approval; (4) default (critical status) if an improvement plan is not adopted; (5) standard funding improvement periods; (6) special rules for seriously underfunded plans; and (7) sponsor recommendation of alternative proposals to bargaining parties, and making relevant information available. Requires for plans in critical status: (1) rehabilitation plans; (2) 10-year rehabilitation periods; (3) plan development proposals that include at least one for the reduction of future benefit accruals (at a limited rate) and one for an increase in contributions; (4) default schedules, with allocation rules for those containing reductions in future benefit accruals; (5) automatic employer surcharges; and (6) benefit adjustments. Allows plan sponsors discretion to treat a failure of a contributing employer to make required contributions under the rehabilitation plan as a withdrawal from the plan. (Sec. 203) Amends ERISA to require a sponsor of a plan in reorganization who determines that the plan will be insolvent in the next five years (by comparing the value of plan assets with the total amount of benefit payments made under the plan) to make such comparison at least annually until the sponsor determines that the plan will not be insolvent in any of the next five plan years. (Sec. 204) Revises the table used to determine an employer's withdrawal liability upon the employer's sale of assets. (Sec. 205) Prohibits a sponsor of a multiemployer plan or any other person from discriminating against any contributing employer for: (1) exercising rights under this Act; or (2) testifying before Congress in any proceeding relating to this Act. (Sec. 206) Exempts a multiemployer plan that is a party to an agreement approved by PBGC that increases benefits and provides for special withdrawal liability rules from the funding rules and withdrawal liability rules under this Act. Subtitle B: Amendments to Internal Revenue Code of 1986 - (Sec. 211) Amends the IRC to establish funding rules for multiemployer defined benefit plans. (Sec. 212) Establishes additional funding rules for multiemployer plans in endangered or critical status. (Sec. 213) Amends the IRC to require a sponsor of a plan in reorganization who determines that the plan will be insolvent in the next five years to evaluate the plan at least annually until the sponsor determines that the plan will not be insolvent in any of the next five plan years. (Sec. 214) Prohibits a tax from being imposed for any accumulated funding deficiency of a multiemployer pension plan meeting certain requirements, including having contributing employers that participate in a federal fishery capacity reduction program and the Northeast Fisheries Assistance Program. Subtitle C: Sunset of Additional Funding Rules - (Sec. 221) Directs the Secretaries of Labor and the Treasury and the PBGC Executive Director to report to Congress on the effect of this Act on the operation and status of multiemployer plans. Provides for the sunset of multiemployer funding rules under this subtitle. Provides that such rules shall cease to apply to plan years beginning after December 31, 2014, and that ERISA and IRC rules in effect before the amendments made by this Act shall be applicable again, except with respect to any plan operating under a funding improvement or rehabilitation plan for its last year beginning before January 1, 2015. Title III: Interest Rate Assumptions - (Sec. 301) Extends through 2007 interest rate rules that require the use of a rate based on long-term investment grade corporate bonds rather than 30-year Treasury securities to calculate a defined benefit plan's liability and required contributions, current liability, and the premium to be paid to PBGC. (Sec. 302) Sets forth the interest rate calculation and mortality tables for determining the present value of a qualified joint and survivor annuity or a qualified preretirement survivor annuity that will be immediately distributed. Phases in use of a yield curve method involving interest rates on corporate bonds to determine the amount of such payments. (Sec. 303) Revises the interest rate assumptions for adjusting a benefit for lump sum distributions. Title IV: PBGC Guarantee and Related Provisions - (Sec. 401) Replaces the interest rate based on 30-year Treasury securities used for the valuation of vested benefits with segmented interest rates based on investment grade corporate bonds with varying maturities. Makes permanent provisions establishing additional premiums to be paid to PBGC upon termination of a single-employer plan. (Sec. 402) Allows commercial passenger airline plan sponsors to elect to: (1) apply an alternative funding schedule and special rules, including amortization of unfunded liability over 17 years; or (2) use applicable funding rules, but amortize the shortfall amortization base over a period of 10 years (rather than 7). (Sec. 403) Makes PBGC responsible, in the event of an unpredictable contingent event, for benefits as of the date of the event. (Sec. 404) Sets the terminating date of a pension plan for PBGC purposes as the date the plan sponsor files for bankruptcy. (Sec. 405) Sets forth maximum premiums to be paid to PBGC by small employers. (Sec. 406) Authorizes PBGC to pay interest on the amount of any premium overpayment refunded to a designated payor. (Sec. 407) Revises rules for substantial owner benefits in terminated plans with respect to: (1)the phase-in of guarantee; and (2) the allocation of assets. (Sec. 408) Provides for accelerated computation of benefits payable to participants and beneficiaries by the PBGC from recoveries of employer liability. Revises provisions relating to: (1) the average recovery percentage of the outstanding amount of such benefits; and (2) the valuation of recovery liability in determining such benefit amounts. (Sec. 409) Establishes a special rule for treatment of certain plans where a member that maintained a single-employer defined benefit plan that is fully funded ceases to be a member of a controlled group. (Sec. 410) Directs PBGC to issue missing participant rules for multiemployer plans. Allows the transfer of missing participants' benefits to PBGC upon plan termination for certain plans not subject to the PBGC termination insurance program. (Sec. 411) Replaces the chairman of the board of directors with a Director to head PBGC, to be approved by the Senate. (Sec. 412) Requires certain information to be included in the PBGC annual report, including: (1) a summary of the Pension Insurance Modeling System microsimulation model; (2) a comparison of the average return on investments earned by PBGC compared to an average return on other specified investments; and (3) a statement regarding the deficit or surplus for such year that PBGC would have had if the corporation earned the same return as the specified investments. Title V: Disclosure - (Sec. 501) Revises requirements for defined benefit plan funding notices and the types of information which multiemployer plans must provide. Requires single-employer plans to provide such notices. (Sec. 502) Requires an administrator of a multiemployer pension plan to furnish actuarial reports, financial reports, and any application for an amortization extension upon the request of any plan participant or beneficiary, employee representative, or any employer with an obligation to contribute to the plan. Requires plan sponsors or administrators to furnish a notice of potential withdrawal liability upon the request of any employer. Requires notice of any amendment providing for a significant reduction in the rate of future benefit accruals to be provided to each such employer. (Sec. 503) Sets forth additional requirements for annual reports to the Secretary of Labor by defined benefit plans, including the funded percentage of each plan and explanations of actuarial assumptions and methods used. (Sec. 504) Requires identification, basic plan information, and actuarial information included in the annual report to be: (1) filed in an electronic format; and (2) displayed on a website maintained by the Secretary of Labor and on an intranet website maintained by the plan sponsor or administrator. (Sec. 505) Requires a contributing sponsor to file a financial report with PBGC if the funding target attainment percentage of the plan is less than 80%. (Currently, the criteria for sponsor reporting is based on the aggregate unfunded vested benefits of the plan.) (Sec. 506) Sets forth requirements for a single-employer plan to disclose termination information to affected parties. (Sec. 507) Requires plan administrators to notify plan participants or beneficiaries of their right to divest employer securities at least 30 days before eligibility. (Sec. 508) Requires an administrator of an individual account plan or a defined benefit plan to provide participants or beneficiaries with a pension benefit statement on a specified schedule. (Sec. 509) Revises the definition of "one-participant retirement plan." Makes such change effective as if it were included in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Title VI: Investment Advice, Prohibited Transactions, and Fiduciary Rules - Subtitle A: Investment Advice - (Sec. 601) Exempts from prohibited transaction rules the provision of investment advice (and certain transactions pursuant to such advice, as well as certain fees for such advice) to a plan and its participants and beneficiaries regarding plan assets subject to such participants' and beneficiaries' direction, if such advice is given by fiduciary advisors meeting specified requirements. Subtitle B: Prohibited Transactions - (Sec. 611) Establishes exemptions from prohibited transaction rules for specified types of transactions involving: (1) block trading; (2) bonding relief; (3) providing services between a plan and a party in interest, but only if adequate consideration is involved; (4) electronic communication and similar networks subject to governmental regulation, where the identity of the parties is not taken into account; (5) foreign exchange; and (6) cross trading. (Sec. 612) Establishes a prohibited transaction exemption for a transaction that would have been prohibited but is corrected within 14 days after the fiduciary or party in interest or other person discovers, or reasonably should have discovered, that the transaction would constitute a prohibited transaction. Subtitle C: Fiduciary and Other Rules - (Sec. 621) Makes certain provisions for relief from fiduciary liability inapplicable during suspensions of the ability of participants or beneficiaries to direct investments. (Sec. 622) Increases the maximum bond amount required for fiduciaries of an employee benefit plan who hold employer securities. (Sec. 623) Increases penalties for coercive interference with the exercise of ERISA rights. (Sec. 624) Treats a participant in an individual account plan as exercising control over assets where a plan designates default investments meeting certain requirements. (Sec. 625) Directs the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations clarifying that the selection of an annuity contract as an optional form of distribution from an individual account plan to a participant or beneficiary is not subject to the safest available annuity standard. Title VII: Benefit Accrual Standards - (Sec. 701) Revises ERISA rules relating to reductions in accrued benefits. Sets forth the requirements with which defined benefit pension plans, including hybrid plans such as cash balance plans, must comply to be deemed nondiscriminatory as to age in cases of a reduction in accrued benefits because of attainment of any age. (Sec. 702) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to apply such requirements to cases where conversions to applicable defined benefit plans are made with respect to groups who become employees due to mergers, acquisitions, or similar transactions. Title VIII: Pension Related Revenue Provisions - Subtitle A: Deduction Limitations - (Sec. 801) Set forth rules establishing the deduction limit for single-employer defined benefit plans. (Sec. 802) Sets the maximum deductible amount for multiemployer defined benefit plans as not less than the excess of 140% of the current liability of the plan over the value of the plan's assets. (Sec. 803) Applies deduction limits for plan sponsors maintaining both defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans, in the case of employer contributions to one or more defined contribution plans, only to the extent that those contributions exceed 6% of the compensation otherwise paid or accrued to beneficiaries during the plan year. Subtitle B: Certain Pension Provisions Made Permanent - (Sec. 811) Repeals the sunset of provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 related to individual retirement accounts and pensions. (Sec. 812) Repeals the sunset of the tax credit for qualified retirement savings contributions. Subtitle C: Improvements in Portability, Distribution, and Contribution Rules - (Sec. 821) Revises the definition of "permissive service credit" to include: (1) service credit for periods for which there is no performance of service; and (2) service credited in order to provide an increased benefit for service credit which a participant is recovering under the plan. (Sec. 822) Allows rollover of after-tax amounts to an annuity contract. (Sec. 823) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to issue regulations under which a governmental plan shall be treated as having complied with trust distribution requirements if the plan complies with a reasonable good faith interpretation of those requirements. (Sec. 824) Allows direct rollovers from eligible retirement plans to Roth IRAs. (Sec. 825) Provides that an individual is not precluded from participating in an eligible deferred compensation plan by reason of having received a distribution from a governmental plan or a tax-exempt employer. (Sec. 826) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to modify rules for determining whether a participant has had a hardship or unforeseen financial emergency. (Sec. 827) Exempts a distribution made to a reservist who is called to active duty for at least 179 days from the imposition of a tax for early distribution from qualified retirement plans. Makes provision retroactive to September 11, 2001. (Sec. 828) Exempts a distribution made to a qualified public safety employee after separation of service after attainment of age 50 (currently, 55) from the imposition of a tax for early distribution from qualified retirement plans. Applies such exemption to police, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel. (Sec. 829) Permits a distribution from an eligible retirement plan of a deceased employee to an individual retirement plan of a designated beneficiary that is not the surviving spouse of the employee. (Sec. 830) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to make available a form for individuals to direct that a portion of any tax refund be paid directly to an individual retirement plan. (Sec. 831) Allows, and gives credit for, additional individual retirement account payments in certain bankruptcy cases. (Sec. 832) Amends the calculation of the average compensation for the high three years when calculating the annual benefit limit under a defined benefit plan. (Sec. 833) Adjusts for inflation the maximum income limits for the tax credit for qualified retirement savings contributions. Subtitle D: Health and Medical Benefits - (Sec. 841) Permits an employer maintaining a defined benefit plan to transfer excess pension assets to cover current retirees future health liabilities. (Sec. 842) Removes the exclusion that prevents multiemployer pension plans from transferring excess pension assets to health benefits accounts for retirees. (Sec. 843) Allows qualified asset accounts to include a reserve for medical benefits provided through bona fide association health plans. (Sec. 844) Excludes from gross income any charge against the cash value of an annuity contract or the cash surrender value of a life insurance contract made as payment for coverage under a qualified long-term care insurance contract which is part of or a rider on such annuity or life insurance contract if the investment in the contract is reduced (but not below zero). Requires an individual excluding such charges from gross income to file a return with the Secretary of the Treasury. (Sec. 845) Excludes from gross income direct distributions from governmental retirement plans to pay for health and long-term care insurance premiums for retired public safety officers. Subtitle E: United States Tax Court Modernization - (Sec. 851) Provides for cost-of-living increases to annuities for surviving spouses and dependents of Tax Court judges based on increases paid under the Civil Service Retirement System. (Sec. 852) Authorizes the Tax Court to pay increases in the cost of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance for judges age 65 and over. (Sec. 853) Allows Tax Court judges to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan. (Sec. 854) Provides for the payment of annuities to surviving spouses and dependents of magistrate judges. (Sec. 855) Grants exclusive jurisdiction to the Tax Court for collection due process case appeals. (Sec. 856) Authorizes the Chief Judge of the Tax Court to recall retired magistrate judges for service. Limits the term of such service to 90 days in any calendar year. (Sec. 857) Authorizes the assignment of employment tax cases involving $50,000 or less to special trial judges. (Sec. 858) Permits the Tax Court to apply the doctrine of equitable recoupment (a defendant's right to claim an offset against a debt in a creditor action) to the same extent that it is available in civil tax cases before the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. (Sec. 859) Authorizes the Tax Court to impose a fee of up to $60 for the filing of any petition. (Sec. 860) Requires a portion of Tax Court practitioner fees to be used to provide services to pro se taxpayers (taxpayers representing themselves before the Tax Court). Subtitle F: Other Provisions - (Sec. 861) Extends to all governmental plans the exemption from application of minimum participation and nondiscrimination rules in favor of highly compensated employees applicable to state and local plans. (Sec. 862) Eliminates the limit that prohibited payments from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund to pay accident or health benefits for retired miners and their spouses and dependents from exceeding an amount based on aggregate limits from all taxable years. Requires that such limits be based only on the prior taxable year. (Sec. 863) Includes in gross income benefits paid to other employees, directors, and highly compensated employees under employer-owned life insurance contracts upon the death of an insured employee that exceed the sum of the premiums and other amounts paid for the contract. (Sec. 864) Amends the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1978 to deem to not be an employee any individual providing services as a test proctor or room supervisor by assisting in the administration of college entrance or placement examinations. (Sec. 865) Provides that annuity payments from qualified church plans that otherwise meet specified distribution requirements for money purchase pension plans under the IRC shall not fail to satisfy qualified trust distribution requirements merely because the payments are not made under an annuity contract purchased from an insurance company. (Sec. 866) Defines a "qualified organization" to include a church-maintained retirement income account for purposes of determining the tax on unrelated debt-financed income from real property interests. (Sec. 867) Exempts participants in church plans who are not highly compensated employees from certain defined benefit plan limitations. (Sec. 868) Requires that the amount of a qualified gratuitous transfer to an employee stock ownership plan allocated each year be determined on the basis of the fair market value of securities when allocated to participants. Title IX: Increase in Pension Plan Diversification and Participation and Other Pension Provisions - (Sec. 901) Requires defined contribution plans holding publicly traded securities to provide employees with: (1) the opportunity to divest employer securities; and (2) at least three investment options other than employer securities. (Sec. 902) Allows qualified automatic contribution arrangements where eligible employees are treated as having elected to have the employer make elective contributions in an amount equal to a qualified percentage of compensation until the employees otherwise make an affirmative election. (Sec. 903) Sets forth benefit, contribution, and notice requirements for treatment of eligible combined defined benefit plans and qualified cash or deferred arrangements. (Sec. 904) Provides for faster vesting of employer contributions in defined contribution plans. (Sec. 905) Revises the definition of "employee pension benefit plan" to allow distributions prior to termination of covered employment that is made to an employee who has attained age 62 and who is not separated from employment at the time of the distribution. (Sec. 906) Revises the definition of governmental plan to treat Indian tribal pension plans as tax-qualified governmental plans. Title X: Provisions Relating to Spousal Pension Protection - (Sec. 1001) Directs the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations relating to the time and order of issuance of qualified domestic relations orders under ERISA and IRC provisions. (Sec. 1002) Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to eliminate the requirement that an individual be entitled to and receiving an annuity in order for a divorced spouse to receive an annuity. (Sec. 1003) Extends the payment of any portion of Tier II railroad retirement benefits to surviving former spouses pursuant to court decrees upon the death of the individual who performed the service, unless the termination of benefits is required by such court decree. (Sec. 1004) Requires pension plans to offer participants the option of a qualified joint and 3/4 survivor annuity (as an alternative to the current qualified joint and survivor annuity). Title XI: Administrative Provisions - (Sec. 1101) Grants the Secretary of the Treasury full authority to establish, implement, update, and improve the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System and any other employee plans correction policies, including the authority to waive income, excise, or other taxes to ensure that any tax, penalty, or sanction is not excessive and bears a reasonable relationship to the nature, extent, and severity of the failure. (Sec. 1102) Increases the period during which: (1) a participant may elect to waive the qualified joint and survivor annuity form of benefit; and (2) a plan must provide notice to a participant. Requires the notification to describe not only a participant's right (if any) to defer receipt of a distribution but also the consequences of failing to defer such receipt. (Sec. 1103) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to modify the requirements for filing annual returns to ensure that one-participant plans with assets of $250,000 or less are not required to file an annual return. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to provide for the filing of a simplified annual return for any retirement plan which covers fewer than 25 participants. (Sec. 1104) Amends the IRC and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to treat certain voluntary early retirement incentive and employment retention plans of local educational agencies and of educational associations as bona fide severance pay plans to the extent that payments as early retirement benefits could otherwise be made, subject to specified conditions. Amends ERISA to treat such plans as welfare plans (not pension plans) for purposes of such payments. (Sec. 1105) Prohibits states from reducing unemployment compensation as a result of any pension, retirement or retired pay, annuity, or similar payment which is not included in the gross income of the individual for the taxable year because it was part of a rollover distribution. (Sec. 1106) Allows a plan to revoke its election to not be treated as a multiemployer plan under certain circumstances. (Sec. 1107) Sets forth provisions relating to plan amendments. Title XII: Provisions Relating to Exempt Organizations - Subtitle A: Charitable Giving Incentives - (Sec. 1201) Amends the IRC to exclude from the gross income of certain individual retirement account holders up to $100,000 of their distributions from such accounts made for charitable purposes. Terminates this tax exclusion after 2007. Increases penalties for the failure of split-interest trusts and trusts claiming certain tax deductions for charitable contributions to file required informational returns. (Sec. 1202) Extends through 2007 provisions allowing non-corporate taxpayers to make tax deductible contributions of food inventory. (Sec. 1203) Provides that the amount of an S corporation shareholder's basis reduction in the stock of such corporation due to a charitable contribution made by the corporation will be the shareholder's pro rata share of the adjusted basis of the contributed property. (Sec. 1204) Extends through 2007 the increased tax deduction for corporate contributions of book inventories to public schools. (Sec. 1205) Sets forth a special rule for the tax treatment of payments of interest, rents, annuities, or royalty payments made to a tax-exempt organization which has a controlling interest in the entity making such payments. Terminates such rule after 2007. Requires the Secretary to report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee on the effectiveness of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in administering this tax provision. (Sec. 1206) Allows individual taxpayers an increased tax deduction (50% of taxpayer contribution base) for qualified conservation contributions (real property donated to a charitable organization exclusively for conservation purposes). Increases such tax deduction to 100% for contributions by certain farmers or ranchers. Allows a 15-year carryforward of unused deduction amounts. Allows an increased tax deduction (and 15-year carryover of such tax deduction) for qualified conservation contributions made by corporate farmers and ranchers. Terminates such provisions after 2007. (Sec. 1207) Exempts tax-exempt blood collector organizations from: (1) the excise tax on diesel and special motor fuels; (2) the manufacturer's excise tax; (3) the communication excise tax; and (4) the excise tax on heavy vehicles. Subtitle B: Reforming Exempt Organizations - Part I: General Reforms - (Sec. 1211) Requires tax-exempt organizations which acquire a direct or indirect interest in certain life insurance, annuity, or endowment contracts to file informational returns during a specified two-year period. Imposes penalties on such organizations for failure to file required information. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study the use of such contracts by tax-exempt organizations and to report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. (Sec. 1212) Increases penalties on charitable organizations, including private foundations, for: (1) self-dealing and excess benefit transactions; (2) failure to distribute income; (3) excess business holdings; (4) investments which jeopardize charitable purpose; and (5) taxable expenditures (e.g., political activities). Increases penalties on managers of such organizations for prohibited activities. (Sec. 1213) Modifies requirements for the tax deduction for charitable contributions of easements on buildings in registered historic districts to require such easements to preserve the entire exterior of the building and to prohibit any change that is inconsistent with the historical character of such exterior. (Sec. 1214) Disallows enhanced tax deductions for charitable contributions of taxidermy property (a work of art which is the reproduction or preservation of a dead animal). (Sec. 1215) Sets forth rules for the recapture of tax benefits for charitable contributions of tax-exempt use property which is not used for charitable purposes. Modifies reporting requirements relating to the disposition of charitable deduction property by a donee. Imposes a $10,000 penalty for the fraudulent identification of tax-exempt use property. (Sec. 1216) Disallows a tax deduction for clothing or household items that are not in good used condition or better. Defines "household items" to include furniture, electronics, appliances, linens, and other similar items, but excludes food, paintings, antiques and other objects of art, jewelry and gems, and collectibles. (Sec. 1217) Modifies recordkeeping requirements for charitable contributions of monetary gifts to require bank records for such contributions or confirmation letters from the donee organizations. (Sec. 1218) Requires a tax-exempt organization which receives a donation of a fractional interest in an item of tangible property to take actual possession of such item for the portion of the year corresponding to the organization's percentage interest in such item. (Sec. 1219) Increases penalties for substantial and gross overstatements of valuations of charitable deduction property. Imposes a penalty for intentional misstatements of appraisal values. Sets forth definitions relating to appraisers and appraisals. (Sec. 1220) Establishes standards and requirements for tax-exempt credit counseling organizations. (Sec. 1221) Revises the definitions of private foundation gross investment income and capital gain net income for purposes of the excise tax on such income. (Sec. 1222) Defines "convention or association of churches" to include individuals (with or without voting rights) as well as churches. (Sec. 1223) Imposes certain reporting requirements on exempt organizations not currently required to file information returns (e.g., organizations with gross receipts of less than $25,000). (Sec. 1224) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to notify state officials of adverse actions taken by the IRS against certain charitable organizations. (Sec. 1225) Permits public disclosure of unrelated business income tax returns filed by tax-exempt charitable organizations. (Sec. 1226) Directs the Secretary to study the organization and operation of donor advised funds and report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee on such study. Part 2: Improved Accountability of Donor Advised Funds - (Sec. 1231) Imposes a 20% excise tax on supporting organizations (5% tax on fund management) for making taxable distributions from a donor advised fund. Limits the amount of such tax to $10,000 for any one taxable distribution. Defines "sponsoring organization" as a tax-exempt organization which is not a private foundation and which maintains one or more donor advised funds. Defines " donor advised fund" as a separately identified fund which is owned and controlled by a sponsoring organization and which permits a donor to have advisory privileges as to the distribution or investment of fund assets. Authorizes the Secretary to exempt a fund from treatment as a donor advised fund under certain conditions. Imposes penalty taxes on prohibited benefits resulting from certain distributions made from donor advised funds. (Sec. 1232) Extends penalties applicable to tax-exempt organizations for excess benefit transactions involving donor advised funds. (Sec. 1233) Extends penalties applicable to private foundations for excess benefit holdings of donor advised funds. (Sec. 1234) Limits the tax deductibility of charitable contributions made to donor advised funds by individuals, estates, and donors of gifts. (Sec. 1235) Requires a supporting organization to report for its taxable year: (1) its total number of its donor advised funds; (2) the aggregate value of assets held in such funds; and (3) the aggregate contributions to, and grants made from, such funds. Part 3: Improved Accountability of Supporting Organizations - (Sec. 1241) Sets forth requirements for supporting organizations relating to distributions and responsiveness to supported organizations. (Sec. 1242) Extends penalties applicable to tax-exempt organizations for excess benefit transactions involving supporting organizations. (Sec. 1243) Extends penalties applicable to private foundations for excess benefit holdings of supporting organizations. (Sec. 1244) Limits distributions and taxable expenditures made by nonoperating private foundations to supporting organizations. (Sec. 1245) Sets forth reporting requirements for supporting organizations. Title XIII: Other Provisions - (Sec. 1301) Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended by the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, to make technical changes. (Sec. 1302) Amends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users to change the amount authorized for the Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier National Park, Montana, and to make such funds available as if they were apportioned consistent with other federal highway aid. Increases the unobligated funds apportioned to the states before September 30, 2009, for certain transportation activities that are subject to rescission. (Sec. 1303) Excludes electricity provided to the city of Hoonah, Alaska, from the determination as to whether any private activity bond issued before May 31, 2006, and used to finance the Snettisham or Lake Dorothy hydroelectric facilities is a qualified bond for purposes of excluding bond interest from gross income. (Sec. 1304) Amends the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 to permanently extend provisions related to a qualified tuition program. Allows the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to carry out or prevent abuse of such provisions. Title XIV: Tariff Provisions - Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2006 - Subtitle A: Temporary Duty Suspensions and Reductions - Chapter 1: New Suspensions and Reductions - (Sec. 1411) Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to provide for temporary duty suspensions, increases, or reductions through December 31, 2009 for: (1) certain non-knit auto mechanic's gloves; (2) certain microphones for automotive interiors; (3) various specified acrylic or modacrylic synthetic staple fibers and filament tows; (4) nitrocellulose; (5) potassium sorbate; (6) sorbic acid; (7) certain capers; (8) certain preparations of pepperoncini; (9) certain chemicals, chemical mixtures, and dyes; (10) hydraulic control units; (11) shield asy-steering gear; (12) certain master cylinder assembles; (13) certain transaxles; (14) converter asy; (15) module and bracket asy-power steering; (16) unit asy-battery hi volt; (17) certain articles of natural cork; (18) DEMBB distilled-iso tank; (19) certain acrylic fiber tow; (20) M-alcohol; (21) certain machines for the assembly of motorcycle wheels; (22) palm fatty acid distillate; (23) certain cosmetic bags; (24) formulations of prosulfuron; (25) ion-exchange resins; (26) ion-exchange resin powder; (27) certain cases for toys; (28) aspirin; (29) various specified kinds of camel and vicuna hair; (30) low expansion laboratory glass; (31) stoppers, lids, and other closures; (32) various specified kinds of basketballs; (33) certain volleyballs; (34) certain decorative plates, sculptures, and plaques, and architectural miniatures; (35) certain music boxes; (36) certain footwear; (37) certain refracting and reflecting telescopes; (38) certain liquid crystal device (LCD) panel assemblies; and (39) certain watertube boilers and reactor vessel heads. Chapter 2: Existing Duty Suspensions and Reductions - (Sec. 1611) Extends the existing suspension or reduction of duty through December 31, 2009, for: (1) certain chemicals and dyes; (2) certain yarn of viscose rayon; (3) certain ion-exchange resins; (4) certain bags for toys; (5) cases for certain children's products; (6) certain children's products; (7) certain light absorbing photo dyes; (8) certain R-core transformers; (9) certain filament yarns; (10) certain semi-manufactured forms of gold; (11) sodium petroleum sulfonate; and (12) ceiling fans. Extends the suspension of duty on certain chemicals through December 31, 2009. Imposes a duty on certain chemicals through December 31, 2009 (thus, rescinding their duty-free treatment). Decreases the duty on certain chemicals through December 31, 2009. Subtitle B: Other Tariff Provisions - Chapter 1: Liquidation or Reliquidation of Certain Entries - (Sec. 1621) Directs the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (Commissioner) to admit free of duty into the United States three tramway cars and their associated spare parts manufactured in Ostrava, Czech Republic, for the use by the city of Portland, Oregon, and imported pursuant to a contract with the city. Requires the Commissioner to reliquidate (refund the duties) paid on such entries before enactment of this section. (Sec. 1622) Requires the Commissioner to liquidate or reliquidate, and refund any amounts owed or interest previously paid on, certain entries of: (1) candles without assessment of antidumping duties and interest; (2) roller chain without assessment of interest; and (3) soundspa clock radios. Chapter 2 - Miscellaneous Provisions - (Sec. 1631) Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 and the HTS to exempt from duty the cost of equipment, repair parts, and materials involved in the repair of certain vessels by U.S. crews done in foreign waters or in a foreign port that does not involve foreign shipyard repairs by foreign labor. (Sec. 1632) Suspends from April 2, 2006 through June 30, 2009, the requirement that the administering authority direct the Customs Service to allow, at the option of the importer of such merchandise, the posting, until completion of the review, of a bond or security in lieu of a cash deposit for each entry of the subject merchandise (bonding privileges). Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report to specified congressional committees: (1) recommendations on whether such suspension should be extended; and (2) assessments of the effectiveness of any administrative measures that have been implemented to address the difficulties giving rise to the suspension. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report to specified congressional committees, with recommendations for additional action, on the major problems experienced in the collection of duties, including fraudulent activities intended to avoid their payment. (Sec. 1633) Amends the HTS to extend the duty suspensions and duty-free treatment for certain wool products through December 31, 2009. Amends the Wool Suit and Textile Trade Extension Act of 2004 to require the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to make annual (currently, two additional) payments from the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund to importing and nonimporting manufacturers of certain wool products during calendar year 2005. Requires each subsequent annual payment to be made after January 1 of each subsequent year, but on or before April 15 of such year through calendar year 2010. Extends the authorization of the Secretary of Commerce through calendar year 2009 to provide grants to manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics during calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001. Makes only manufacturers who weave worsted wool fabric in the United States eligible for such grants. Amends the Trade and Development Act of 2000, as amended by the Wool Suit and Textile Trade Extension Act of 2004, to extend the Wool Research, Development, and Promotion Trust Fund through December 31, 2010. (Sec. 1634) Authorizes the President to proclaim modifications to the HTS to carry out amendments to the Agreement proposed by the United States and the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA), the terms of which are contained in letters of understanding specified in this Act. Terminates such authority on December 31, 2007. Authorizes the President to proclaim such modifications to carry out amendments proposed by the United States, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, the terms of which are contained in the letters of understanding exchanged between the countries relating to the rules of origin for articles containing pocket bag fabric used in an apparel article classifiable under the HTS that contains a pocket or pockets. Subjects such modification to consultaton and layover requirements of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (DR-CAFTA IA). Makes such modification ineffective if a joint resolution of Congress is enacted into law disapproving it. Terminates such authority on December 31, 2007. Authorizes the Commissioner of Customs to require an importer to submit at the time the importer files a claim for preferential tariff treatment under the Agreement a certificate of eligibility, properly completed and signed, or transmitted pursuant to an authorized electronic data interchange system, by an authorized official of the government of Nicaragua to implement the tariff preference level for Nicaragua provided in the Agreement. Authorizes the President to proclaim a reduction in the overall limit in such tariff preference level if Nicaragua fails to comply with a commitment under an agreement between the United States and Nicaragua with regard to the administration of such tariff preference. Makes a technical correction to the DR-CAFTA IA relating to retroactive application for certain liquidations and reliquidations of textile or apparel goods. Requires, within 30 days after enactment of this Act, and at least quarterly thereafter, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to report to the appropriate congressional committees on the status of negotiations and amendments proposed by the United States, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic to the Agreement regarding any change to the rule of origin or alteration of the tariff treatment of certain socks classified or described in this Act. Requires the USTR to provide to the appropriate congressional committees copies of any amendments: (1) to be proposed by the United States before the amendments are offered; and (2) received by the United States relating to such negotiations. Terminates such reporting requirements on the date on which any change is made to the rule of origin pursuant to the Agreement for such socks or December 31, 2007, whichever occurs later. (Sec. 1635) Amends the Tariff Act of 1930, the Trade Act of 1974, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, and the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002 to make technical corrections. Subtitle C: Effective Date - (Sec. 1641) Sets forth the effective date for amendments made by this title.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Congress should enact legislation to slow, stop, and reverse the growth of the Nation's dependence on imported oil in ways that provide cleaner air, reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, and enhance America's competitiveness.

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2006

Calls for the enactment of legislation to slow, stop, and reverse the growth of the nation's dependence on imported oil in ways that provide cleaner air, reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, and enhance America's competitiveness.

Expressing the sense of Congress that American oil companies should build additional refining capacity on existing refinery campuses.

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2006

Expresses the sense of Congress that American oil companies should reinvest their profits into building additional refining capacity on existing refinery campuses so that the United States will become independent of foreign refineries and, in effect, help to reduce the current high price of gasoline.

Royalty Relief Suspension Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2006

Royalty Relief Suspension Act of 2006 - Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to place limitations based upon the market price on the royalty relief granted under any lease for production of oil or natural gas on federal land entered into by the Secretary on or after the date of enactment of this Act. States that Congress reaffirms certain statutory authority of the Secretary to vary, based upon the price of production from a lease, the suspension of royalties under any lease subject to the Outer Continental Shelf Deep Water Royalty Relief Act.

To provide for Federal research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities to enable the development of farms that are net producers of both food and energy, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2006

Directs the Secretary of Energy to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to: (1) develop recommendations for evaluation measures and criteria for programs under this Act; and (2) evaluate the feasibility of prize and best practices award programs as tools to promote self-powered farms. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish an award program for up to 30 state agricultural research programs for self-powered farm demonstrations; (2) provide low-cost revolving loans and loan guarantees to eligible entities for the commercial application of energy or other technologies that will contribute to establishing self-powered farms, with highest preference given to applicants who propose to meet their energy needs from biobased feedstocks or other renewable energy sources produced on that farm; and (3) enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for a review of the programs under this Act.

To provide for the establishment of the Commission for the Deployment of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2006

Establishes the Commission for the Deployment of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells to: (1) develop a strategic plan that identifies the best methods available to marshal the resources of the federal, state, local governments, the private sector, and academia to achieve mass commercialization of hydrogen as an energy source for stationary and vehicle fuel cells; (2) examine ways to ensure that the United States can use all available feedstocks for hydrogen production; and (3) make recommendations for an appropriate entity to monitor ongoing progress in implementing the strategic plan.

Freedom through Renewable Energy Expansion (FREE) Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2006

Freedom through Renewable Energy Expansion (FREE) Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal provisions regarding: (1) next generation nuclear plant project; (2) standby support for certain nuclear plant delays; and (3) incentives for oil and gas production from federal lands. Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to repeal: (1) the credit for production from advanced nuclear power facilities; (2) the election to expense certain refineries; (3) treatment of natural gas distribution lines as 15-year property; (4) treatment of natural gas gathering lines as seven-year property; (5) the rule for determining the small refiner exception to the oil depletion deduction; and (6) the amortization of geological and geophysical expenditures Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 to repeal the suspension of: (1) offshore royalties pertaining to the Planning Areas offshore Alaska; and (2) the royalty with respect to the national petroleum reserve in Alaska. Directs the President to suspend the application of federal law granting relief from royalty payments for production of oil or natural gas from federal lands occurring within specified periods. Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate certain average fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles manufactured after model year 2008. Amends the IRC to extend the credit for: (1) renewable electricity production; (2) solar energy property, qualified fuel cell property, and geothermal property; and (3) residential energy efficient property. Allows a tax credit for wind energy property installed in residences and businesses. Authorizes appropriations for geothermal research. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to prescribe a federal renewable portfolio standard. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to revise certain federal energy purchase requirements. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for local schools and school districts to promote the use of renewable energy sources in school facilities.

American Energy Independence Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2006

American Energy Independence Act - Establishes the National Commission on Energy Independence to review U.S. energy policy. Amends federal transportation law to provide: (1) phased increases in fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles; and (2) a national tire efficiency program for passenger cars and light trucks. Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish Energy Star Program requirements, and an Energy Star rating program for solar water heating devices. Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to prescribe standards for household appliances in standby mode. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the energy efficient commercial buildings deduction; (2) extend the timeframe for placing into service production facilities for renewable electric energy; and (3) establish a tax credit for telecommuting. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to prescribe: (1) a federal renewable portfolio standard; and (2) special rules for net metering. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish an investment tax credit for the construction of new electricity transmission lines to carry electricity from renewable energy resources. Authorizes loan guarantees for biorefineries and renewable energy production facilities. Directs the President to take measures to ensure decreased electricity consumption for federal nondefense related activities. Requires design phases for future federal buildings to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating standard. Prescribes guidelines governing the fuel economy of the federal fleet of vehicles. Requires executive agency motor purchases to include high-efficiency vehicles, or hybrid electric vehicles. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize appropriations for basic research at the Department of Energy (DOE). Amends the Department of Energy Science Education Enhancement Act to prescribe organization guidelines for mathematics, science, and engineering education programs. Authorizes DOE research grants for early career scientists and engineers to pursue independent research. Establishes: (1) the Advanced Research Projects Authority-Energy; and (2) the Acceleration Fund for Research and Development of Energy Technologies. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) designate transit-oriented development corridors in urbanized areas; and (2) award transit grants for transit facilities, bicycle transportation, and pedestrian walkways in a transit-oriented development corridor. Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to increase and extend weatherization assistance. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish a grants program, low-interest loans, and loan guarantees for commercialization of new: (1) renewable energy technologies; (2) technologies for energy generation from fossil fuels that incorporate carbon sequestration; and (3) energy efficiency technologies.

Family Farm Energy Relief Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2006

Family Farm Energy Relief Act of 2006 - Repeals provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 relating to: (1) the expensing of equipment used in refining of liquid fuels and accelerated depreciation of natural gas distribution and gathering lines; (2) the pass through of tax deductions for environmental compliance costs; (3) the small refiner exception to limitations on the oil depletion tax deduction; and (4) the two-year amortization of geological and geophysical expenditures. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain farmers actively engaged in farming: (1) a tax credit for 10% of farm diesel fuel expenses through 2009; (2) an increased agri-biodiesel producer tax credit; and (3) a small biodiesel producer tax credit.

American-Made Energy Freedom Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2006

American-Made Energy Freedom Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase tax credits for cellulosic biomass ethanol; (2) extend the energy credit for solar and fuel cell property; (3) extend and modify the credits for residential energy efficient property and for certain liquid fuel derived from coal; and (4) establish the American-Made Energy Trust Fund to implement designated sections of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, including climate change technology deployment. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Coastal Plain of Alaska. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and any leasing or development leading to such production. Prescribes procedures for: (1) lease sales; (2) grants of leases; and (3) Coastal Plain environmental protection; (4) rights-of-way and easements for the transportation of oil and gas across the Coastal Plain. Directs the Secretary to convey: (1) the surface estate of specified lands to the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation; and (2) the remaining subsurface estate of specified lands to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. Establishes the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to provide financial assistance to specified entities directly impacted by oil and gas production and exploration on the Coastal Plain.

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.

ASSESSING ENERGY AND SECURITY ISSUES IN CENTRAL ASIA

United States · United States House of Representatives · 25 July 2006

ENERGY AND THE IRANIAN ECONOMY

United States · United States Senate · 25 July 2006

Consumer Relief and Investment in Our Future Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2006

Consumer Relief and Investment in Our Future Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to suspend and renegotiate the application of royalty relief for oil or natural gas production if specified prices prevail. Requires royalties from oil or gas production on federal lands to be deposited in the Treasury and made available to the Secretary of Energy for: (1) certain biomass programs administered by the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; (2) FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program, including the Clean Cities Program; and (3) the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Program. Authorizes appropriations for the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose a windfall profits tax on crude oil; and (2) reduce highway motor fuel taxes. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal specified tax credits, including: (1) production from advanced nuclear power facilities; (2) investment in clean coal facilities; and (3) production of fuel from a non-conventional source for facilities producing coke or coke gas.

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5682) to exempt from certain requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 a proposed nuclear agreement for cooperation with India.

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2006

Sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5682) to exempt from certain requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 a proposed nuclear agreement for cooperation with India.

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.

New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2006

New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone Act of 2006 - Designates the New York/New Jersey Bight as the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone. Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of the Army, and all states from issuing a permit for ocean dumping, or establishing any new disposal site in the Zone, including under specified provisions of existing law. Terminates all existing disposal site designations, subject to exception. States that the discharge of a pollutant into the Zone from a point source constructed or put into use after enactment of this Act is prohibited under specified provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Prohibits permit issuance for such discharge. Prohibits a state or federal permit issued for the discharge of a pollutant into the Zone from being renewed, reissued, or modified to allow any increase of discharge capacity of any point source or to contain any effluent limitation less stringent than comparable effluent limitations in the permit. Prohibits the permanent extraction of any nonrenewable natural resource from the Zone for commercial or industrial use, except for the primary purpose of maintaining or establishing navigation channels. Prohibits the creation, licensing, leasing, easement granting, or right-of-way granting of certain facilities involving nonrenewable energy, including deepwater ports and pipelines. Prohibits categorically excluding leases, easements, or rights-of-way for renewable energy facilities from specified provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Prohibits underwater research or exploration in the Zone unless it meets certain requirements.

ENERGY EMPLOYEES OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM: ARE WE FULFILLING THE PROMISE WE MADE TO THESE COLD WAR VETERANS WHEN WE CREATED THIS PROGRAM? (PART III)

United States · United States House of Representatives · 20 July 2006

An original bill to exempt from certain requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 United States exports of nuclear materials, equipment, and technology to India, and to implement the United States Additional Protocol.

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act - Exempts, subject to a specified determination by the President, from certain requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 exports of nuclear material, equipment and technology from the United States and reexports of such U.S.-origin items to India. United States Additional Protocol Implementation Act - Authorizes the President to implement the 1998 Protocol Additional to the Agreement between the United States of America and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the Application of Safeguards in the United States of America, and designate which executive agency or agencies shall issue or amend and enforce regulations to implement the Protocol.

Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 - Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to offer the 181 Area and the 181 South Area for oil and gas leasing, notwithstanding their omission from the Outer Continental Shelf leasing program. Subjects the following areas to a moratorium upon oil and gas leasing (or any related activity): (1) any area east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico; (2) any area in the Eastern Planning Area that is within 125 miles of the Florida coastline; or (3) specified areas within the Central Planning Area and within 100 miles of the Florida coastline. Reserves to the United States the right to designate national defense areas on the Outer Continental Shelf. Directs the Secretary to permit any person who has entered into an oil or gas lease with the Secretary in any area described in this Act, as of the date of enactment of this Act, to exchange the lease for a bonus or royalty credit that may only be used in the Gulf of Mexico. Prescribes requirements for: (1) disposition of qualified Outer Continental Shelf revenues from the 181 Area, the 181 South Area, and the 2002-2007 planning areas of the Gulf of Mexico; (2) allocation among Gulf producing states and coastal political subdivisions; (3) historical lease sites; and (4) payments to coastal political subdivisions. Sets forth the authorized uses of amounts received by Gulf producing states and coastal political subdivisions, including for certain environmental protection projects and activities. Sets limitations upon the amount of distributed qualified Outer Continental Shelf Revenues.

Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to set forth provisions concerning global warming pollution emissions. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) set milestones to reduce the aggregate net levels of emissions (authorizes EPA to establish market-based programs to achieve such reduction); (2) require each fleet of automobiles sold by a manufacturer beginning in model year 2016 to meet emission standards; (3) contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study the potential contribution of the non-highway portion of the transportation sector towards meeting the emission reduction goal; (4) require that electric generation units meet an emission standard that is not higher than the emission rate of a new combined cycle natural gas generating unit; and (5) establish a low-carbon generation trading program. Requires covered generators to provide a minimum percentage of the base quantity of electricity produced for sale from low-carbon generation. Requires EPA to: (1) establish a competitive grant program for geological disposal deployment projects; and (2) carry out a global climate change standards and processes research program. Expresses the sense of the Senate that federal funds for clean, low-carbon energy research, development, and deployment should be increased by at least 100% each year for 10 years. Directs: (1) EPA to promulgate requirements concerning the energy efficiency and peak load reduction of electricity suppliers and to establish a renewable energy credit program; (2) the Secretary of Agriculture to establish standards for accrediting certified reductions in carbon dioxide emissions through biological sequestration activities; and (3) major stationary sources to report to EPA on emissions of global warming pollutants. Requires the President to establish the Task Force on International Clean, Low Carbon Energy Cooperation. Authorizes the President to adjust, suspend, or waive any regulation promulgated pursuant to this Act in a national emergency. Requires EPA to require that gasoline contain the applicable volume of low-carbon renewable fuel. Directs EPA to require manufacturers to meet standards for new motor vehicles or engines. Requires executive agency automobiles to be as fuel-efficient as practicable. Requires: (1) the Secretary of Commerce to report on the effects of U.S. failure to adopt measures that require or result in a reduction in total emissions in accordance with the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; (2) the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require securities issuers to inform investors of risks relating to global warming; and (3) the SEC to clarify that U.S. commitments to reduce emissions under the Framework are considered to be a material effect and that global warming constitutes a known trend. Directs federal agency environmental impact statements or analyses to evaluate the effects on, and impact of, global warming.

Oil and Gas Traders Oversight Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2006

Oil and Gas Traders Oversight Act of 2006 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to prescribe reporting and recordkeeping requirements for positions involving energy commodities (a commodity or the derivatives of a commodity used primarily as a source of energy). Directs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to subject to the requirements of this Act a contract, agreement, or transaction for future delivery in an energy commodity.

Fuel Economy Reform Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Fuel Economy Reform Act - Amends federal transportation law to: (1) revise the definition of automobile to require including all automobiles up to 10,000 pounds (currently, not all automobiles up to 10,000 pounds are required to be included in the definition); and (2) continue applying the current minimum corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for non-passenger and passenger automobiles to automobiles manufactured through model year 2011, but, for passenger automobiles, adds an increase of four percent per year in such standard for model years 2009 through 2011. Requires an average fuel economy standard of 27.5 miles per gallon for all automobiles manufactured by all manufacturers for model year 2012, with an increase of four percent in the average fuel economy from the level for the prior model year for model year 2013 and beyond. Requires the average fuel economy standard in a model year for a manufacturer's domestic and foreign fleetwide passenger automobiles under calculation of average fuel economy provisions to be at least 92% of the average fuel economy projected by the Secretary for the combined domestic and foreign fleets manufactured by all manufacturers in that model year. Permits lower fuel economy standards if the minimum standards: (1) are technologically unachievable; (2) materially reduce auto safety; or (3) are not cost effective. Allows, with a specified exception, the selling of credits between manufacturers. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) terminate the limitation on the number of new qualified hybrid and advanced lean burn technology vehicles eligible for the alternative motor vehicle credit; and (2) allow an advanced technology motor vehicles manufacturing credit.

Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2006

Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2006 - Amends the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 to instruct the Secretaries of Labor and of Health and Human Services (HHS) to include as part of their annual budget requests the administrative costs necessary to implement their responsibilities under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (including, for the Secretary of HHS, costs for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health). Instructs the Secretary of Energy to designate annually as a beryllium vendor any vendor, processor, or producer of beryllium (or related products) not previously designated as such if the Secretary finds that such person has engaged in activities related to production or processing of beryllium sales. Transfers certain responsibilities from the President to the Secretary of HHS regarding: (1) Program administration; and (2) the Special Exposure Cohort. Revises requirements for: (1) the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (Board); and (2) the Special Exposure Cohort. Establishes within HHS a Special Exposure Cohort Appeals Board to hear appeals from an adverse Special Exposure Cohort designation. Sets forth conflicts of interest prohibitions. Expands the duties of the Office of Ombudsman to include: (1) assisting individuals in making claims; and (2) acting as advocate for individuals seeking benefits.

U.S./INDIA ENERGY COOPERATION

United States · United States Senate · 18 July 2006

A bill to study and promote the use of energy efficient computer servers in the United States.

United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2006

Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Energy Star program, to analyze and report to Congress on the growth and energy consumption of computer data centers by the federal government and private enterprise. Expresses the sense of Congress that it is in the United States' best interest for purchasers of computer servers to give high priority to energy efficiency as a factor in determining best value and performance for purchases of servers.

Protecting Communities from Power Line Abuse Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2006

Protecting Communities from Power Line Abuse Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to repeal provisions regarding: (1) mandatory fair market value compensation for right-of-way acquisitions; (2) transmission facility modifications in accordance with state law; and (3) requirements for coordination of federal authorizations for interstate electric transmission facilities, including authorization to file an appeal with the President regarding denial of an application for such an authorization. Modifies requirements for acquisition of rights-of-way for electric transmission facilities located on property other than federal or state property. Provides that, if the permit holder cannot acquire by contract, or is unable to agree upon compensation with the owner of the property, the permit holder may acquire the right-of-way in accordance with state law for the state in which the property is located. (Thus repeals current law which allows the permit holder to acquire the-right-of-way through the exercise of eminent domain in a federal district court.) Requires the length of at least one year for the comment period on an application for a transmission facility permit.

Energy Efficient Buildings Act of 2006

United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2006

Energy Efficient Buildings Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable amount of the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial building costs; and (2) extend such deduction through 2010.

RISE Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2006

Recycling Investment Saves Energy or the RISE Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a taxpayer election of a tax credit for 15% of the cost of qualified reuse and recycling property or a tax deduction for 50% of the adjusted basis of such property; and (2) define solid waste disposal facilities to include reuse and recycling functions for purposes of tax-exempt bond financing.