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Bill· HRH.R. 1136 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2009
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt certain returning H-2B aliens (temporary nonagricultural worker) from annual numerical limitations.
Bill· HRH.R. 1096 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2009
Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification and Illegal Immigration Control Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a toll-free telephone- or electronic media-based employment eligibility verification system. Requires that such system: (1) provide verification or tentative non-verification of an individual's identity and employment eligibility within three days of an inquiry; and (2) provide, in the case of tentative non-verification, a secondary process for final verification or non-verification within 10 days. Directs: (1) the Commissioner of Social Security to develop a process for comparing names and social security numbers against appropriate databases in response to employer inquiries; and (2) the Secretary to develop a process for comparing names and alien identification or authorization numbers and investigate uses of the same social security number that suggest fraud. Limits verification system-related individual relief to procedures under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Prohibits class actions. Immunizes from civil or criminal liability a person or entity who takes action in good faith reliance on verification system information. Sets forth employer verification requirements with respect to an affirmative defense to liability for employment of unauthorized workers, including revision of attestation and retention of verification form provisions. Places limits on the collection and use of data from the verification system. Expands the employment eligibility verification system to include: (1) previously hired individuals; and (2) recruitment and referral. Provides for: (1) voluntary employer verification utilizing such system two years after enactment of this Act for previously hired individuals; (2) mandatory employer verification three years after enactment of this Act by federal, state, and local governments, and the military for employees not verified under such system working at federal, state or local government buildings, military bases, nuclear energy sites, weapons sites, airports, or critical infrastructure sites; and (3) mandatory employer verification six years after enactment of this Act for all employees not previously verified under such system. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to make employer participation in the basic pilot program mandatory two years after enactment of this Act. Applies employment eligibility verification requirements to labor service agencies. Revises civil and criminal penalty provisions. Establishes in the Treasury the Employment Verification Compensation Fund. Directs the Secretary to establish a publicly available contractor database. Authorizes the Commissioner to carry out verification responsibilities under this Act, but only to the extent advance funds are provided by the Secretary to cover costs. Prohibits funds from the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund from being used to carry out such responsibilities. Sets forth specified reporting requirements by the Secretary and the Commissioner.
Bill· SS. 424 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2009
Uniting American Families Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a "permanent partner" within the scope of such Act. Defines a "permanent partner" as an individual 18 or older who: (1) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 or older in which both individuals intend a lifelong commitment; (2) is financially interdependent with the other individual; (3) is not married to, or in a permanent partnership with, any other individual other than the individual; (4) is unable to contract with the other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act; and (5) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of the other individual. Defines a "permanent partnership" as the relationship existing between two permanent partners.
Bill· HRH.R. 1024 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2009
Uniting American Families Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a "permanent partner" within the scope of such Act. Defines a "permanent partner" as an individual 18 or older who: (1) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 or older in which both individuals intend a lifelong commitment; (2) is financially interdependent with the other individual; (3) is not married to, or in a permanent partnership with, any other individual other than the individual; (4) is unable to contract with the other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act; and (5) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of the other individual. Defines a "permanent partnership" as the relationship existing between two permanent partners.
Bill· HRH.R. 1033 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2009
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include among nonimmigrant classifications: (1) an alien seeking to enter the United States temporarily and solely to receive medical treatment (including participation in a research study) for a disease or condition that if untreated threatens to undermine the alien's survival or day-to-day functioning with an increased likelihood of progression to a more severe disease or condition; or (2) such alien's accompanying or following son, daughter, spouse, or parent. Sets forth related conditions of admission.
Bill· HRH.R. 994 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2009
Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act or the LEAVE Act - Revises immigration- and alien-related provisions regarding: (1) alien smuggling and related offenses; (2) identity security; (3) birthright citizenship; (4) housing and homeownership; (5) taxes and social security; (6) employee verification; (7) financial services; (8) border and law enforcement; (9) state and local government authority; and (10) in-state tuition.
Bill· HRH.R. 1001 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2009
Nursing Relief Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a nonimmigrant visa category (W-visa) for an alien coming to the United States to work as a professional nurse. Sets forth employer petition provisions.
Bill· HRH.R. 937 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2009
Visitors Interested in Strengthening America (VISA) Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official to waive certain entry documentary requirements for a nonimmigrant child (unmarried and under the age of 16) who is a citizen or national of Mexico and accompanying parent or adult chaperone in instances of medical visits, student groups, or special community events. Sets forth additional requirements for such entries.
Bill· HRH.R. 938 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2009
Keeping Families Together Act of 2009 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Act) to repeal the provision amending the definition of "aggravated felony," and restore provisions of law amended by such provision as if it had not been enacted, including residency-or status-related rights of an affected legal alien. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to revise detention of criminal alien provisions, effective as if included in the Act. Repeals, as if included in the Act: (1) certain provisions respecting termination of continuous presence or physical presence in the United States; and (2) the definition of "conviction." Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to admit certain lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens returning to the United States who temporarily proceeded abroad voluntarily and not under an order of deportation or removal, effective as of a specified date, as if certain sections of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 had not been enacted. Revises provisions respecting judicial review of removal orders. Requires the Secretary to establish a post-proceeding removal relief process for affected aliens.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 42 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2009
Recognizes the contributions of the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in educating the people of the United States about the African-American migration experience.
Bill· SS. 388 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2009
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend for three years after the date of enactment of this Act the annual cap exemption for returning H-2B aliens (temporary nonagricultural worker). Provides that such amendment shall: (1) take effect as if enacted on December 1, 2008; and (2) apply only to petitions with an approved start date in FY2009-FY2011.
Bill· HRH.R. 893 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2009
American Anti-Torture Act of 2009 - Amends the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 to prohibit any person in the custody or control of the United States (under current law, the Department of Defense) from being subject to any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorized by and listed in the U.S. Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations. Makes such prohibition inapplicable with respect to any person in the custody or control of the United States (under current law, the Department of Defense) pursuant to a U.S. criminal or immigration law.
Bill· HRH.R. 878 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2009
Nuclear Family Priority Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to replace existing family-sponsored immigrant categories with a single preference allocation for spouses and children of permanent resident aliens. Reduces the number of, and revises the calculation for, fiscal year family-sponsored immigrant entrants.
Bill· SS. 321 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2009
Passport Card Travel Enhancement Act of 2009 - Defines "passport card" as the document: (1) known as a passport card that is issued to a U.S. national on the same basis as a regular passport; and (2) that the Secretary of State began issuing in 2008. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State to permit a passport card issued to a U.S. citizen to serve as proof of identify and citizenship if such citizen is departing from or entering the United States through an airport of entry for travel that terminates or originates in: (1) Bermuda; (2) Canada; (3) a Caribbean country; or (4) Mexico. Prohibits the Secretaries from increasing the passport card fee as a result of such requirement.
Bill· SS. 327 (111th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2009
Improving Assistance to Domestic and Sexual Violence Victims Act of 2009 - Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to: (1) amend certain definitions, grant conditions, and matching fund requirements under such Act; (2) expand the role of the national resource center on workplace responses to domestic violence to require information and assistance to victim service providers and other community-based organizations and coalitions; and (3) expand requirements for providing culturally and linguistically specific services to domestic and sexual violence victims. Amends grant provisions under the violence against women program of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: (1) impose limits on Internet publication of protection order information in domestic violence cases; (2) expand the prohibition against requiring victims of sexual assaults to take polygraph exams; (3) exempt victims of dating violence from certain costs for criminal proceedings and protection orders; (4) require forensic medical exams to be administered by health care professionals (currently, trained examiners); and (5) expand grant purposes to include evidence preservation, sexually transmitted infection testing, and treatment for victims of sexual assault. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, and the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to expand protections for aliens who are victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking.
Bill· HRH.R. 679 (111th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Establishes use-it-or-lose-it requirements for grantees using funds in specified accounts who have not entered into contracts or other binding commitments and used 50% of the funds awarded. Provides for redistribution of such uncommitted funds by the appropriate federal agency. Makes all funds appropriated by this Act available for obligation through FY2010, unless expressly provided otherwise. Makes additional appropriations to specified federal agency and departmental Offices of Inspector General. Appropriates additional amounts to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Prohibits the use of funds for: (1) casino or other gambling establishments, aquariums, zoos, golf courses, or swimming pools; or (2) a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron and steel used in the project is domestic, except in certain circumstances. Designates each amount in this Act as an emergency requirement, necessary to meet certain emergency needs in accordance with the FY2008-FY2009 congressional budget resolutions. Prohibits the use of funds to enter into a contract with an entity that does not participate in the E-verify program of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Requires publication on the website Recovery.gov of: (1) all federal agency plans for using funds made available in this Act, as well as all related grant announcements; and (2) all federal, state, or local agency public notices regarding funds obligated to particular infrastructure investments. Prescribes review and reporting requirements for inspectors general of federal departments or executive agencies, the GAO, and the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Establishes the Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board, which shall establish the Recovery.gov website. Places limitations on the length of certain noncompetitive contracts. Grants the Comptroller General and the Offices of Inspector General access to certain contractors' or subcontractors' records or employees. Prohibits reprisals against state and local government and contractor whistleblowers. Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to: (1) the Department of Agriculture; (2) the Department of Commerce; (3) the Department of Justice (DOJ); (4) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); (5) the National Science Foundation; (6) the Department of Defense (DOD); (7) the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers - Civil; (8) the Department of the Interior; and (9) the Department of Energy. Makes additional appropriations for FY2009 to the Secretary of Agriculture to provide a temporary increase in benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to repeal the limitation of the afterschool feeding program for at-risk children to eight states. Requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to develop and maintain a map showing where broadband service is deployed and available in each state. Authorizes NTIA to award grants for wireless deployment and broadband deployment. Makes technical corrections to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Revises requirements with respect to smart grid regional demonstration initiatives. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish a smart grid information clearinghouse. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary to make loan guarantees for rapid deployment before FY2012 of renewable energy and electric power transmission projects. Amends the Hoover Power Plant Act of 1984 to authorize the Western Area Power Administration to borrow funds from the Treasury for: (1) new or upgraded electric power transmission lines and related facilities; and (2) the delivery of power generated by renewable energy resources after enactment of this Act. Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to increase the income eligibility level for the Weatherization Assistance Program, as well as the maximum amount of financial assistance. Makes additional borrowing authority available to the Bonneville Power Administration. Instructs the Secretary to include specified analyses within the 2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study. Appropriates funds for: (1) the General Services Administration (GSA) for the Federal Buildings Fund and the acquisition of energy-efficient motor vehicles; and (2) the Small Business Administration (SBA) for small business loan programs. Permits the SBA to guarantee up to 95% of qualifying small business loans made by eligible lenders. Authorizes the SBA to establish: (1) the SBA Secondary Market Lending Authority; and (2) the SBA Secondary Market Guarantee Authority. Authorizes the SBA to refinance: (1) SBA and non-SBA loans made to small businesses; and (2) loans made under the SBA's local development business loan program. Provides increased SBA loan leverage and investment limits. Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to: (1) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); (2) the Department of the Interior; (3) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); (4) the Department of Agriculture; (5) the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); (6) the Smithsonian Institution; (7) the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities; (8) the National Endowment for the Arts; and (9) the Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to extend employment eligibility confirmation pilot programs (including the E-Verify basic pilot program). Directs the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into a fiscal year agreement to provide funds to the Commissioner for the full costs of such programs in quarterly advances. Requires GAO studies regarding: (1) erroneous tentative nonconfirmations under the E-Verify program; and (2) the effects of such program on small entities. Amends the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act to revise the exclusion from the meaning of "employee in the recreational marine industry" of any individuals employed to repair a recreational vessel or to dismantle any part of it in connection with its repair. Establishes a Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to invest in the infrastructure necessary to allow for and promote the electronic exchange and use of health information for each individual in the United States, consistent with the goals outlined in the Strategic Plan developed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Makes supplemental appropriations available to the Department of Education for: (1) education of the disadvantaged; (2) impact aid; (3) school improvement programs; (4) innovation and improvement activities; (5) special education; (6) rehabilitation services and disability research; (7) certain student financial assistance programs, as well as federal administrative expenses for such programs; (8) teacher quality partnership grants; (9) the Institute of Education Sciences; and (10) school modernization, renovation, and repair. Sets the maximum individual Pell Grant amount at $4,860 for award year 2009-2010. Establishes grant programs for the modernization, renovation, and repair of: (1) public elementary and secondary school facilities; and (2) higher education facilities that are primarily used for instruction, research, or student housing. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the amount authorized and appropriated for Pell Grants for FY2009-FY2010. Increases annual and aggregate student loan limits under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program. Alters, on a temporary basis, the formula for calculating special allowance payments made to FFEL lenders to compensate them for the difference between FFEL interest rates and market rates. Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to: (1) the Corporation for National and Community Service; (2) the National Service Trust; (3) the Social Security Administration (SSA); (4) the DOD; (5) the Department of Veterans Affairs; (6) the Department of State; (7) the Department of Transportation; and (8) the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Sets forth maintenance of effort and reporting requirements for a state or its agency awarded funds appropriated in this Act for a covered program. Establishes loan limits for calendar 2009 for: (1) the Federal Housing Administration (FHA); (2) the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae); (3) the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac); and (4) the FHA reverse mortgage. Establishes a State Stabilization Fund which the Secretary of Education is to use to provide grants to states: (1) to restore state funding for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education; (2) to supplement school improvement funds provided to local educational agencies (LEAs) under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and (3) for public safety and other government services. Reserves a portion of such Fund for: (1) awarding grants to states that make significant progress in addressing inequities in teacher distribution, establishing longitudinal education data systems, and improving educational assessments; and (2) establishing an Innovation Fund to award states, LEAs, and schools that make significant progress in closing student achievement gaps. Bars the use of such Fund to provide financial assistance to students to attend private elementary or secondary schools.
Law· HRH.R. 1 (111th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Designates: (1) each amount in this Act as an emergency requirement, necessary to meet certain emergency needs in accordance with the FY2008-FY2009 congressional budget resolutions; and (2) as an emergency for Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) principles. Establishes use-it-or-lose-it requirements for grantees using funds in specified accounts who have not entered into contracts or other binding commitments and used 50% of the funds awarded. Provides for redistribution of such uncommitted funds by the appropriate federal agency. Makes all funds appropriated by this Act available for obligation through FY2010, unless expressly provided otherwise. Makes additional appropriations to specified federal agency and departmental Offices of Inspector General. Appropriates additional amounts to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Prohibits the use of funds for: (1) casino or other gambling establishments, aquariums, zoos, golf courses, or swimming pools; or (2) a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron and steel used in the project is domestic, except in certain circumstances. Requires publication on the website Recovery.gov of: (1) all federal agency plans for using funds made available in this Act, as well as all related grant announcements; and (2) all federal, state, or local agency public notices regarding funds obligated to particular infrastructure investments. Prescribes review and reporting requirements for inspectors general of federal departments or executive agencies, the GAO, and the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Establishes the Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board, which shall establish the Recovery.gov website. Places limitations on the length of certain noncompetitive contracts. Grants the Comptroller General and the Offices of Inspector General access to certain contractors' or subcontractors' records or employees. Prohibits reprisals against state and local government and contractor whistleblowers. Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to: (1) the Department of Agriculture; (2) the Department of Commerce; (3) the Department of Justice (DOJ); (4) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); (5) the National Science Foundation; (6) the Department of Defense (DOD); (7) the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers - Civil; (8) the Department of the Interior; and (9) the Department of Energy. Makes additional appropriations for FY2009 to the Secretary of Agriculture to provide a temporary increase in benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Amends the Hoover Power Plant Act of 1984 to authorize the Western Area Power Administration to borrow funds from the Treasury for: (1) new or upgraded electric power transmission lines and related facilities; and (2) the delivery of power generated by renewable energy resources after enactment of this Act. Makes additional borrowing authority available to the Bonneville Power Administration. Appropriates funds for: (1) the General Services Administration (GSA) for the Federal Buildings Fund and the acquisition of energy-efficient motor vehicles; and (2) the Small Business Administration (SBA) for small business loan programs. Permits the SBA to guarantee up to 95% of qualifying small business loans made by eligible lenders. Authorizes the SBA to establish: (1) the SBA Secondary Market Lending Authority; and (2) the SBA Secondary Market Guarantee Authority. Authorizes the SBA to refinance: (1) SBA and non-SBA loans made to small businesses; and (2) loans made under the SBA's local development business loan program. Provides increased SBA loan leverage and investment limits. Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to: (1) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); (2) the Department of the Interior; (3) the Environmental Protection Agency; (4) the Department of Agriculture; (5) the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); (6) the Smithsonian Institution; (7) the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities; (8) the National Endowment for the Arts; (9) the Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration; and (10) the Department of Health and Human Services. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to extend employment eligibility confirmation pilot programs (including the E-Verify basic pilot program). Directs the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into a fiscal year agreement to provide funds to the Commissioner for the full costs of such programs in quarterly advances. Requires that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct studies regarding: (1) erroneous tentative nonconfirmations under the E-Verify program; and (2) the effects of such program on small entities. Amends the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act to revise the exclusion from the meaning of "employee in the recreational marine industry" of any individuals employed to repair a recreational vessel or to dismantle any part of it in connection with its repair. Establishes a Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to invest in the infrastructure necessary to allow for and promote the electronic exchange and use of health information for each individual in the United States, consistent with the goals outlined in the Strategic Plan developed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Makes supplemental appropriations available to the Department of Education for: (1) education of the disadvantaged; (2) impact aid; (3) school improvement programs; (4) innovation and improvement activities; (5) special education; (6) rehabilitation services and disability research; (7) certain student financial assistance programs, as well as federal administrative expenses for such programs; (8) teacher quality partnership grants; (9) the Institute of Education Sciences; and (10) school modernization, renovation, and repair. Sets the maximum individual Pell Grant amount at $4,860 for award year 2009-2010. Establishes grant programs for the modernization, renovation, and repair of: (1) public elementary and secondary school facilities; and (2) higher education facilities that are primarily used for instruction, research, or student housing. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the amount authorized and appropriated for Pell Grants for FY2009-FY2010. Increases annual and aggregate student loan limits under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program. Alters, on a temporary basis, the formula for calculating special allowance payments made to FFEL lenders to compensate them for the difference between FFEL interest rates and market rates. Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to: (1) the Corporation for National and Community Service; (2) the National Service Trust; (3) the Social Security Administration (SSA); (4) the DOD; (5) the Department of Veterans Affairs; (6) the Department of State; (7) the Department of Transportation; and (8) the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Sets forth maintenance of effort and reporting requirements for a state or its agency awarded funds appropriated in this Act for a covered program. Establishes loan limits for calendar 2009 for: (1) the Federal Housing Administration (FHA); (2) the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae); (3) the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac); and (4) the FHA reverse mortgage. Establishes a State Stabilization Fund which the Secretary of Education is to use to provide grants to states: (1) to restore state funding for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education; (2) to supplement school improvement funds provided to local educational agencies (LEAs) under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and (3) for public safety and other government services. Reserves a portion of such Fund for: (1) awarding grants to states that make significant progress in addressing inequities in teacher distribution, establishing longitudinal education data systems, and improving educational assessments; and (2) establishing an Innovation Fund to award states, Leas, and schools that make significant progress in closing student achievement gaps. American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow through 2010 a refundable tax credit for the lesser of 6.2% of earned income or $500 ($1,000 for married couples filing jointly); (2) allow through 2010 increases in the earned income tax credit, the refundable portion of the child tax credit, and the Hope Scholarship tax credit; (3) allow a waiver of the the first-time home buyer tax credit repayment requirement for residences purchased after December 31, 2008, and before July 1, 2009; (4) extend through 2009 bonus depreciation and the increased expensing allowance for depreciable business assets; (5) extend from two to five years the carryback period for net operating losses; and (6) allow a work opportunity tax credit for certain unemployed veterans and disconnected youth hired in 2009 or 2010. Limits the applicability of Treasury Notice 2008-83 (suspending restrictions on the offset of net operating losses and unrealized built-in losses against the taxable income of certain corporate entities that acquire or merge with other entities) to periods prior to January 16, 2009. Suspends in 2009 or 2010 certain limitations on the tax deduction allowed to financial institutions for interest expense related to investments in tax-exempt bonds. Exempts interest earned on tax-exempt private activity bonds from the alternative minimum tax. Allows a new tax credit for investment in bonds for the construction, rehabilitation, or repair of public school facilities or for the acquisition of land for building a public school facility. Increases in 2009 and 2010 the issuance limitation for qualified zone academy bonds. Allows state or local governments to elect to receive direct federal payments equal to tax credit amounts for investment in tax-exempt bonds issued in 2009 and 2010. Allows a new tax credit for investment in recovery zone economic development and recovery zone facility bonds issued in 2009 and 2010. Repeals the 3% withholding requirement on payments by federal, state, or local governmental entities to individuals who provide property or services to such entities. Extends the tax credit for the production of electricity from wind facilities (through 2012) and from other renewable facilities (through 2013). Allows an election to claim an investment tax credit for renewable facilities placed in service in 2009 or 2010. Repeals limitations on the investment tax credit for energy property financed by subsidized energy financing or industrial development bonds. Increases the limitation amount on the issuance of new clean renewable energy bonds and qualified energy conservation bonds. Modifies and extends through 2010 the tax credit for improvements to energy-efficient residences. Increases through 2010 the tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures. Increases through 2010 the tax credit for qualified energy research expenses. Requires the application of certain federal labor standards to projects financed with clean renewable energy and conservation bonds, zone academy bonds, school construction bonds, and recovery zone economic development bonds. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make grants in 2009 to states for low-income housing projects in lieu of low-income housing credit allocations. Directs the Secretary of Energy to make grants in 2009 or 2010 in lieu of tax credits to investors in specified energy property (e.g., renewable energy property, fuel cell property, solar property, wind energy property, geothermal property, microturbine property, combined health and power system property, and geothermal heatpump property). Directs the Comptroller General to submit a report to the House Committee on Ways and Means on the economic, employment, and other effects of this Act. Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program. Provides for federal-state agreements for increased regular unemployment compensation payments to individuals. Requires federal payments to states to cover 100% of such additional payments. Amends Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Labor to make special transfers to state accounts in the Unemployment Trust Fund for unemployment compensation modernization incentive payments and for administration. Health Insurance Assistance for the Unemployed Act of 2009 - Provides for payment of a portion of an individual's premiums for any COBRA coverage (health insurance continuation benefits). Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, and the Public Health Service Act to allow COBRA coverage to continue past required termination dates for an employee who has attained age 55 or has completed ten or more years of service. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to allow states to provide coverage to individuals who are receiving unemployment compensation benefits or who have exhausted such benefits. Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act or the HITECH Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Sets forth provisions governing the development and adoption of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that allows for the electronic use and exchange of information. Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to establish incentive payments for certain eligible physicians and hospitals that adopt and use certified electronic health record (EHR) technology meaningfully, beginning in FY2011. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to establish incentive payments to encourage the adoption and use by Medicaid providers of qualified electronic health records. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program to enhance the meaningful use of certified electronic health records in nursing facilities. Sets forth provisions governing the privacy and security of health information, including requiring notifications for any breach of protected health information. Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from phasing out or eliminating the budget neutrality adjustment factor in the Medicare hospice wage index before October 1, 2009. Requires the Secretary to recompute and apply the final index for FY2009 as if there had been no reduction in the budget neutrality adjustment factor. Provides for non-application of the phased-out indirect medical education adjustment factor for FY2009. Makes technical corrections to the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 with respect to long-term care hospitals. Establishes a temporary increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) with respect to Medicaid payments, as well as payments under SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance), for FY2009-FY2011 for eligible states, with optional FMAP increases authorized for specified U.S. territories. Extends from March 31, 2009, through June 30, 2009, the current moratoria on implementation of specified Medicaid and SCHIP regulations relating to cost limits for government-operated providers, the integrity of the federal-state Medicaid financial partnership, graduate medical education (GME) payments, Medicaid provider taxes, rehabilitative services, optional state plan case management services, and school-based administration and school-based transportation services. Imposes a moratorium through June 30, 2009, on implementation of a final regulation published on November 7, 2008, relating to Medicaid outpatient hospital services. Extends transitional medical assistance (TMA) from June 30, 2009, through December 31, 2010. Gives states the option of providing, during a presumptive eligibility period, Medicaid coverage for family planning services and supplies to individuals who are not pregnant and whose income does not exceed the highest income eligibility level for pregnant women established under the state's Medicaid or SCHIP programs. Prohibits state Medicaid programs from imposing cost-sharing requirements on Indians or Alaska Natives when the beneficiary is receiving an item or service directly from an Indian health care provider or through referral from a Contract Health Services provider. Amends SSA title XI to repeal establishment of the National Commission on Children. Directs the Secretary of HHS to maintain within the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services a Tribal Technical Advisory Group. Prescribes a temporary increase in state allotments for payments to Medicaid disproportionate share (DSH) hospitals. Requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to develop and maintain a map showing where broadband service is deployed and available in each state. Provides for grants for wireless deployment and broadband deployment. Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to report on a national broadband plan. Makes technical corrections to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). Revises requirements with respect to smart grid regional demonstration initiatives. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish a smart grid information clearinghouse. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary of Energy to make loan guarantees for rapid deployment before FY 2012 of renewable energy and electric power transmission projects. Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to increase the income eligibility level for the Weatherization Assistance Program, as well as the maximum amount of financial assistance. Instructs the Secretary to include specified analyses within the 2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study. Sets forth conditions for additional grants under the State Energy Program.
Bill· HRH.R. 662 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2009
Employee Verification Amendment Act of 2009 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to extend the employment eligibility confirmation pilot programs (which includes the E-Verify basic pilot program). Directs the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into a fiscal year agreement which shall: (1) provide funds to the Commissioner for such programs' full costs in quarterly advances; and (2) require an annual accounting and reconciliation of costs incurred and funds provided. Provides for funding continuation in the absence of an agreement. Requires that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct studies regarding: (1) erroneous tentative nonconfirmations under the E-Verify program; and (2) such program's effects on small entities.
Bill· SJRESS.J.Res. 6 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2009
Constitutional Amendment - States that a person born in the United States shall not be a U.S. citizen unless: (1) one parent of the person is a U.S. citizen; (2) one parent of the person is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States who resides in the United States; (3) one parent of the person is an alien performing active service in the U.S. Armed Forces; or (4) the person is naturalized in accordance with the laws of the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 588 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2009
10k Run for the Border Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase employer civil fines for: (1) hiring, or recruiting or referring for a fee, an alien that the employer knows is not authorized for employment; and (2) continuing to employ such alien. Sets forth a federal-state (and local) allocation of such additional penalty funds.
Bill· HRH.R. 589 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2009
Securing the Homeland Through Agency Reporting Enhancement Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act with respect to any case in which the Social Security account number in the wage records of an employee provided by the employer to the Social Security Administration does not match relevant records otherwise maintained by the Administration. Requires the Commissioner of Social Security, in such a case, to send a prompt written notice ("no match" letter): (1) informing the employer of the discrepancies; (2) requesting information that would assist the Commissioner in resolving the discrepancies; and (3) informing the employer that a copy of such notice is being forwarded to assist the Secretary of Homeland Security in the enforcement of applicable federal immigration laws relating to employment of individuals who are not authorized to work in the United States. Requires the Commissioner to forward such a copy to the Secretary of Homeland Security, including the information in which discrepancies appear.
Bill· SS. 203 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2009
Strengthening the Visa Waiver Program to Secure America Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act regarding the visa waiver program to: (1) require current and new program countries to report on lost or stolen visas in order to participate in the program; (2) set a maximum 2% visa overstay rate for program countries; (3) require a reevaluation of program countries within one year; and (4) include arrival data in the required air entry and exit system and electronic travel authorization system.
Bill· HRH.R. 373 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2009
Amends the the Immigration and Nationality Act to make an alien inadmissible or deportable if such alien has been convicted of three offenses for driving under the influence and at least one of the offenses is a felony under federal or state law for which the alien was sentenced to more than one year in prison. Provides that: (1) a court shall not accept a guilty plea for driving under the influence unless the court has administered to the defendant a specified advisal regarding the possible exclusion, deportation, or denial of naturalization to a noncitizen as a result of a conviction for driving under the influence; and (2) if the court fails to so advise and the defendant shows that conviction of the offense to which the defendant pleaded guilty may result in the defendant's deportation, exclusion, or denial of naturalization, the court, upon the defendant's motion, shall vacate the judgment and permit the defendant to withdraw the plea and enter a plea of not guilty.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 19 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2009
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) state and local governments should be supported for taking actions to discourage illegal immigration; (2) current laws governing immigration enforcement should be enforced to the highest extent of the law; and (3) legislation to enhance border security and the enforcement of immigration laws should be passed quickly in order to ease the burden on state and local government agencies.
Bill· SS. 168 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2009
SCAAP Reimbursement Protection Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to compensate states for incarcerating undocumented aliens charged with a felony or two or more misdemeanors.
Bill· HRH.R. 314 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2009
Federal Criminal Immigration Courts Act of 2009 - Directs the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the following permanent judgeships: (1) four additional district judges for the district of Arizona; (2) one additional district judge for the district of New Mexico; (3) two additional district judges for the southern district of Texas; and (4) one additional district judge for the western district of Texas. Directs the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the following temporary judgeships: (1) one additional district judge for the district of Arizona; and (2) one additional district judge for the district of New Mexico. Provides that, for each of the judicial districts named in this Act, the first vacancy arising on the district court 10 years or more after a judge is first confirmed to fill the temporary district judgeship created by this Act shall not be filled.
Bill· HRH.R. 264 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2009
Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide increased protections and eligibility for family-sponsored immigrants. Directs the Secretary of State to establish a Board of Family-based Visa Appeals within the Department of State. Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to deny a family-based immigration petition by a U.S. petitioner for an alien spouse or child if: (1) the petitioner is on the national sex offender registry for a conviction that resulted in more than one year's imprisonment; (2) the petitioner has failed to rebut such information within 90 days; and (3) granting the petition would put a spouse or child beneficiary in danger of sexual abuse. Directs the Secretary to establish the Task Force to Rescue Immigrant Victims of American Sex Offenders. Authorizes the Secretary to adjust the status of aliens who would otherwise be inadmissible (due to unlawful presence, document fraud, or other specified grounds of inadmissibility) if such aliens have been in the United States for at least five years and meet other requirements. Authorizes the emergency deployment of Border Patrol agents to a requesting border state. Sets forth provisions for Border Patrol acquisition and use of specified equipment. Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide for additional detention space for illegal aliens; (2) increase Border Patrol agents, airport and land border immigration inspectors, immigration enforcement officers, and fraud and document fraud investigators; (3) enhance Border Patrol training and operational facilities; (4) establish immigration, customs, and agriculture inspector occupations within the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection; (5) reestablish the Border Patrol anti-smuggling unit; (6) establish criminal investigator occupations within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); (7) increase Border Patrol agent and investigator pay; (8) require foreign language training for appropriate DHS employees; and (9) establish the Fraudulent Documents Task Force. Redefines the term "law enforcement officer" under provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to include: (1) federal employees not otherwise covered by such term whose duties include the investigation or apprehension of suspected or convicted individuals and who are authorized to carry a firearm; and (2) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees whose duties are primarily the collection of delinquent taxes and the securing of delinquent returns. Authorizes S (witness or informant) nonimmigrant status for aliens in possession of critical reliable information concerning commercial alien smuggling or trafficking in immigration documents. Establishes a reward program to assist in eliminating immigration-related commercial document fraud operations. Sets forth unfair immigration-related employment practices. Requires petitioners for nonimmigrant labor to describe their efforts to recruit lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens. Makes permanent an INA provision allowing adjustment of status of certain aliens for whom family-sponsored or employment-based applications or petitions were filed by a specified date. Lessens immigration consequences for minor criminal offenses. Eliminates retroactive changes in grounds of inadmissibility and removal. Amends criminal offense removal-related provisions. Increases the worldwide level of diversity immigrants. Authorizes adjustment of status for certain nationals or citizens of Haiti. Eliminates mandatory detention in expedited removal proceedings. Amends the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 to: (1) waive document fraud as a ground of inadmissibility; and (2) address determinations with respect to children. Eliminates the one-year filing requirement for asylum applicants. Includes gender persecution within the particular social group category of persecution. Provides for the permanent resident status adjustment of certain temporary protected status persons. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to eliminate a provision prohibiting restrictions on the communication of immigration status information by a government entity. Replaces the existing fashion model H-1B visa classification with an O-visa classification.
Bill· HRH.R. 246 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2009
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt elementary and secondary schools from the fee imposed on employers filing petitions for temporary nonimmigrant workers under the H-1B (specialty occupations) visa program.
Bill· SS. 95 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Prohibits the use of community oriented policing services funds in contravention of provisions of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that restrict a government entity or official from preventing any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the responsible federal immigration agency information regarding an individual's citizenship or immigration status.
Bill· SS. 84 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Authorizes a financial institution, when verifying the identity of a non-U.S. citizen or national who is seeking to open a bank account, to accept only: (1) a Social Security number; (2) a passport number and the country of issuance; (3) an alien identification card number; or (4) any combination of such items. Prohibits a financial institution, for such verification purposes, from accepting identification documents issued by a foreign government, other than an unexpired passport.
Bill· SS. 9 (111th)open
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Stronger Economy, Stronger Borders Act of 2009 - Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should enact, and the President should sign, legislation to strengthen the economy, recognize the heritage of the United States as a nation of immigrants, and amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by: (1) providing more effective border and employment enforcement; (2) preventing illegal immigration; and (3) reforming and rationalizing avenues for legal immigration.
Bill· SS. 108 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Protection from Enemy Combatants Act - Defines a "covered alien" as an alien who was detained as an enemy combatant by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Prohibits: (1) a U.S. court from ordering the release or parole into the United States of a covered alien; (2) the Secretary of State from issuing any visa to a covered alien that would permit such alien to enter, or be admitted to, the United States; and (3) the Secretary of Homeland Security from admitting or providing any type of immigration status to a covered alien that would permit such alien to enter, or be admitted to, the United States. Authorizes the President to waive restrictions by the Secretaries if consistent with U.S. national security.
Bill· HRH.R. 137 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Employment Eligibility Verification and Anti-Identity Theft Act - Directs the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration to notify a person or entity each time that the combination of name and Social Security account number it has submitted for an individual does not match Social Security Administration records. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (HS) to notify a person or entity each time that: (1) an immigration status or employment authorization document presented or referenced by an individual during the employment eligibility verification process was assigned to another person; or (2) there is no agency record that the document was assigned to any person. Directs the HS Secretary to establish a system, meeting specified requirements, for verifying an individual's identity and employment eligibility. Requires any person or entity that has received a discrepancy notice under this Act to verify the individual's employment authorization and identity through such system. Places the burden of resolving errors in the verification mechanism on the individual whose employment eligibility and identity have not been verified. Requires the individual to terminate any employment in the United States if a final nonverification is received. Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to provide the last known name, address, and location of a nonverified individual to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Provides for sanctions against employers who continue to employ an individual after receiving a final nonverification. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to require any person or entity that receives written notice about more than 20 individuals in one calendar year to: (1) participate in a basic pilot project for employment eligibility confirmation; and (2) comply with specified terms and conditions. Provides for: (1) a remedy under the Federal Tort Claims Act for job dismissals occasioned by verification mechanism errors; and (2) protection from civil and criminal liability for persons or entities that take action in good faith on the basis of verification mechanism information.
Bill· HRH.R. 138 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Amends the the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to require federal contractors and subcontractors (as defined by this Act) to participate in the employment eligibility verification pilot program. Directs the Attorney General to ensure that the pilot program is applied to all of the contractor's or subcontractor's employees and not just to those performing the contract or subcontract.
Bill· HRH.R. 98 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to require inclusion of encrypted machine-readable electronic identification strips on Social Security cards. Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to: (1) develop the strip in a manner that enables employers to access the Employment Eligibility Database (EED) established by this Act; and (2) transmit to the Secretary of Homeland Security necessary information from an individual's application for a Social Security card or number for inclusion in the EED. Directs the Secretary to establish and maintain the EED. Requires the EED to include data on the citizenship status and work and residency eligibility of noncitizens authorized to work in the United States. Restricts access to EED information. Prohibits individuals from commencing employment with a U.S. employer absent a Social Security card that meets the requirements of this Act and presentation of such card to the employer. Prohibits employers from hiring individuals absent verification of identity and work authorization. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) assess penalties against employers who knowingly hire unauthorized workers or fail to comply with verification procedures; and (2) bring civil actions against those who fail to pay assessments or otherwise violate this Act. Establishes criminal penalties for such violations. Requires integration of Border Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint databases. Prohibits this Act from being construed to establish a national identification card.
Bill· HRH.R. 19 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Renames the basic employment eligibility verification pilot program established under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 as the Employment Eligibility Verification System. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide for permanent nationwide implementation of the System. Requires entities hiring individuals for employment in the United States to participate in such System. Phases in compliance requirements over a seven-year period according to the number of persons employed by the entity. Establishes sanctions for noncompliance. Provides for voluntary participation by entities not required to participate.
Bill· HRH.R. 187 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Baseball Diplomacy Act - Waives certain foreign assistance and trade and travel prohibitions against Cuba under specified federal law regarding Cuban nationals who: (1) enter the United States on a visa to play organized professional baseball; and (2) return to Cuba with their baseball earnings. States that such visa shall be valid only for the duration of the season and need not be renewed as long as the player remains with the same team. Prohibits the President from denying visas to such nationals based upon authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict any entry of aliens or class of aliens that would be detrimental to U.S. interests. Declares that this Act shall not be affected by the economic embargo requirements against Cuba under the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996.
Bill· HRH.R. 144 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Haitian Protection Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti as a country whose qualifying nationals may be eligible for temporary protected status. Provides for: (1) an initial 18-month designation period; and (2) authorization for temporary travel abroad.
Bill· HRH.R. 127 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase certain income-related requirements with respect to a sponsor's affidavit of support for an alien.
Bill· HRH.R. 125 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make immediate relatives or special immigrants who are in unlawful status, who accept unauthorized employment, or who have failed to maintain continuous lawful U.S. presence ineligible for permanent resident status adjustment.
Bill· HRH.R. 128 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Respect for the Law Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish criminal penalties for an alien who is permitted to depart voluntarily and subsequently enters, attempts to enter, or is present in the United States unlawfully. Revises criminal penalties for an alien subject to an order of removal who fails to depart or to appear for removal to include a one-year minimum prison sentence. Revises criminal criminal penalties for an alien who reenters the United States after having been removed to include a one-year minimum prison sentence. Revises criminal penalties for the reentry of certain aliens who were removed from the United States for specified criminal-related grounds. Revises exclusion provisions for an alien who has been unlawfully present in the United States for: (1) more than 180 days and less than one year; and (2) at least one year.
Bill· HRH.R. 126 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit citizenship at birth to persons born in the United States to mothers who are U.S. citizens or legal residents.
Bill· HRH.R. 73 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Traffic Stops Along the Border Statistics Study Act of 2009 - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) conduct a nationwide study of stops for traffic violations by law enforcement officers; (2) perform an initial analysis of existing data, including complaints alleging and information concerning traffic stops motivated by race and other bias; and (3) gather specified data from a nationwide sample of jurisdictions, including the traffic infraction alleged to have been committed that led to the stop, identifying characteristics of the driver stopped, whether immigration status was questioned, and whether any warning or citation was issued as a result of the stop. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to law enforcement agencies to collect and submit data collected under this Act to the appropriate agency as designated by the Attorney General. Prohibits information released from revealing the identity of any individual who is stopped or any officer involved.
Bill· HRH.R. 124 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Secure the Capitol Act - Prohibits an office of the legislative branch from entering into a contract for goods or services within the Capitol Complex with any contractor employing individuals unless the contractor: (1) elects to participate in the basic pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 with respect to all of its employees and those providing goods or services under the contract; (2) is in compliance with the terms and conditions of such election; and (3) certifies that each of its subcontractors providing goods or services has elected to participate in such program, and is also in such compliance, with respect to all of its employees as well as those providing goods or services under the subcontract.
Bill· HRH.R. 123 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Credit Agencies Identity Theft Responsibilities Act of 2009 - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to require a consumer reporting agency which has reason to suspect identity theft to: (1) report such suspicion to the U.S. Secret Service; and (2) inform the Attorney General for criminal prosecution. Requires the Secret Service to forward such information to either the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), respectively, if it has reason to believe that a suspected case of identity theft involves any suspicion of terrorism or immigration violations. Cites factors for suspicion of identity theft. Requires a consumer reporting agency to review, at regular intervals, all information on consumers it maintains or controls in order to determine whether there is any basis for suspicion of identity theft. Sets forth criminal penalties for agency failure to comply with this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 142 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Enforce Immigration Law Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) notify the Secretary of Homeland Security if an employee's tax identification number indicates that such employee is not authorized to be employed in the United States; (2) inform such an employee's employer and require that such employee be terminated within 30 days; and (3) grant such employee the right to contest the accuracy of the Secretary's notice. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to request from the Secretary of the Treasury annually information, including tax identification numbers, on individuals who are no longer authorized to be employed in the United States. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) disclose such information to officers and employees of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for enforcement of the immigration laws; and (2) notify the employer and require that such employee be terminated within 30 days. Grants an affected employee the right to contest the accuracy of the Secretary's notice and the determination that such employee is not authorized to be employed in the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 150 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Illegal Alien Crime Reporting Act of 2009 - Prohibits a state or political subdivision thereof from receiving funds under any program or activity administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless the state: (1) compiles statistics on each person who is arrested, charged with a crime, convicted, or incarcerated after being convicted of a crime by the state or political subdivision, including each person's crime, immigration status, and country of origin; (2) reports such statistics monthly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and (3) certifies compliance with these requirements monthly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Requires each federal agency to: (1) compile such statistics for any person it arrests, charges, prosecutes to conviction, or incarcerates after conviction of a crime; and (2) report such statistics monthly to the FBI. Directs the FBI to publish all statistics reported under this Act annually as a separate data collection of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports.
Bill· HRH.R. 182 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, in the case of an alien subject to removal, deportation, or exclusion who is the parent of a U.S. citizen child, to authorize an immigration judge to decline to order such removal if the judge determines that such action is against the child's best interests. States that such discretion shall not apply with respect to an alien whom the judge determines: (1) is excludable or deportable on security grounds; or (2) has engaged in sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking in persons.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 14 (111th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Reaffirms support for the Border Patrol's importance in combating human smuggling. Commends the Department of Justice (DOJ) for increasing the rate of human smuggler prosecutions.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 2 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2009
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) should incorporate consideration of the effects of global warming and sea-level rise into the comprehensive conservation plan for each coastal national wildlife refuge. Calls for such plans to address how global warming and sea-level rise will affect: (1) the ecological integrity, archaeological and cultural values, and distribution, migration patterns, and abundance of fish, wildlife, and plant populations and related habitats of the refuge; (2) areas within the refuge that are suitable for use as administrative sites or visitor facilities; and (3) opportunities for compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses of the refuge. Calls for the Director of the USFWS to conduct an assessment of the potential impacts of global warming and sea-level rise on coastal national wildlife refuges.