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Bill· HRH.R. 3829 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2009
Fighting Occupied Cell Use So Everyone Drives More Safely Act of 2009 or the FOCUS Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Transportation to withhold 25% of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway program funds for the fiscal year if the state has not enacted or is not enforcing a law that: (1) prohibits, except in an emergency, an operator of a moving motor vehicle from using any communication device if he or she is under 21, and a hand-held communication device if he or she is 21 or older; and (2) requires, upon conviction of a violation of such prohibition, the imposition of certain minimum penalties. Defines "communication device" to mean any mobile telephone or other portable electronic communication device which a user engages in a call or writes, sends, or reads a message.
Bill· HRH.R. 3820 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2009
Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act of 2009 - National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Amends the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 to revise and reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. Repeals provisions establishing the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction and an associated advisory committee. Revises responsibilities of Program agencies, including by making: (1) the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) responsible for research and development to improve building standards and practices; (2) the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) responsible for facilitating the adoption of model building codes; (3) the United States Geological Survey (USGS) responsible for providing real-time earthquake information; and (4) the National Science Foundation (NSF) responsible for funding basic research. Makes NIST (currently, USGS) responsible for organizing investigations under the post-earthquake investigations program. National Windstorm Impact Reduction Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Amends the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 to revise and reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program. Repeals provisions requiring the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish an Interagency Working Group responsible for the planning, management, and coordination of the Program. Designates NIST as the lead agency and sets forth revised responsibilities of NIST and the other Program agencies: FEMA, NSF, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Establishes an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Natural Hazards Risk Reduction, chaired by the Director of NIST, to oversee the planning and coordination of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, and other federal research for natural hazard mitigation that the Committee considers appropriate. Requires: (1) the Committee to develop strategic plans and coordinated budgets for such Programs; and (2) the Director to establish an Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction, an Advisory Committee on Windstorm Impact Reduction, and other advisory committees to mitigate the impact of natural disasters, as necessary. Amends the National Construction Safety Team Act to authorize safety teams to be established for deployment after events causing the failure of infrastructure, as well as buildings, leading to a substantial loss of life. Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to include among the types of fires subject to the Fire Research Center's research program fires at the wildland-urban interface.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 841 (111th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2009
Supports the designation of Drive Safer Sunday.
Bill· HRH.R. 3789 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 October 2009
Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act - Requires Amtrak, at a station that accepts checked baggage for a specific Amtrak route, to allow a passenger holding a ticket for such route to place an unloaded firearm or starter pistol in a bag that has been checked at the station if: (1) before checking the bag or boarding the train, the passenger declares to Amtrak that an unloaded firearm is in his or her checked bag; (2) the firearm is carried in a locked hard-sided container; and (3) only the passenger has the key or combination to such container. Allows an Amtrak passenger to place small arms ammunition for personal use in a checked bag on an Amtrak route if the ammunition is securely packed in specified kinds of boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry such ammunition. Prohibits the application of such requirements in any fiscal year in which Amtrak does not receive federal assistance.
Bill· SS. 1771 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2009
Medical Education Development Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program of grants to newly accredited allopathic medical schools to support scholarships, develop residencies, build infrastructure, recruit and retain faculty, and develop research programs, for the purpose of increasing the supply of physicians. Directs the Secretary to: (1) give first priority to schools accredited to admit students from FY2009-FY2014; (2) provide increased funding to schools that enroll larger classes while maintaining competitive faculty-to-student ratios; and (3) allocate funds to only schools that provide accountability and transparency in expending such funds. Requires: (1) each school to report annually on the specific uses of funds received and on how the grant has benefited the region and the nation; and (2) the Secretary to report annually on the extent to which such grants have increased the supply of physicians, resulted in greater access to health care, enabled the creation of new care models, provided economic regional benefits, and increased the focus on medical students' communications skills.
Bill· SS. 1764 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2009
Prevention of Unreasonable Fees Act - Prohibits an operator of a transportation terminal that uses federal funds for terminal construction, or for the purchase or lease of equipment installed there, from charging a fee to a provider of prearranged ground transportation service that meets state vehicle and intrastate passenger licensing requirements, except fees charged to the public to access the terminal or for use of ancillary facilities located there. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) prohibit or restrict a transportation terminal operator from requiring vehicles that cannot safely use public parking facilities to use segregated facilities provided the fee for segregated facilities is no more than that charged to the public for similar facilities; or (2) restrict the right of a state or its political subdivisions to require a license or fee (other than a prohibited transportation terminal fee) for a motor vehicle providing certain other prearranged ground transportation.
Bill· SS. 1770 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2009
Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act - Requires federal public land management officials to exercise their authority under existing law, including regarding land use planning, to provide for the use of, and access to, federal public lands and waters for fishing, sport hunting, and recreational shooting, except as described in this Act. Requires the heads of federal public land management agencies to exercise their discretion in a manner that supports, promotes, and enhances recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting opportunities, to the extent authorized under applicable law. States that Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service lands, excluding lands on the Outer Continental Shelf, shall be open to recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting unless the managing agency acts to close lands to such activity. Permits closures or restrictions on such lands for purposes including resource conservation, public safety, energy or mineral production, energy generation or transmission infrastructure, water supply facilities, national security, or compliance with other law. Requires publication of a public notice preceding any such closures or restrictions, unless mandated by other law. Requires annual reports on closures of federal public lands to recreational fishing, sport hunting, or shooting. Sets forth requirements for specified closures or significant restrictions involving 640 or more acres of federal public lands or waters to fishing or hunting. Establishes the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and the Sporting Conservation Council.
Bill· HRH.R. 3778 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2009
Medical Education Development Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program of grants to newly accredited allopathic medical schools to support scholarships, develop residencies, build infrastructure, recruit and retain faculty, and develop research programs, for the purpose of increasing the supply of physicians. Directs the Secretary to: (1) give first priority to schools accredited to admit students from FY2009-FY2014; (2) provide increased funding to schools that enroll larger classes while maintaining competitive faculty-to-student ratios; and (3) allocate funds to only schools that provide accountability and transparency in expending such funds. Requires: (1) each school to report annually on the specific uses of funds received and on how the grant has benefited the region and the nation; and (2) the Secretary to report annually on the extent to which such grants have increased the supply of physicians, resulted in greater access to health care, enabled the creation of new care models, provided economic regional benefits, and increased the focus on medical students' communications skills.
Bill· SS. 1762 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2009
Trisomy 21 Translational Research Parity Act of 2009 or the 21 Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH): (1) in coordination with the directors of specified national research institutes, to expand and intensify NIH programs with respect to translational research and related activities concerning Down syndrome; and (2) allocate specified funds among such institutes. Requires the Director to award grants and contracts for, and provide for the establishment of, at least six centers of excellence regarding such translational research to: (1) contribute to a comprehensive research portfolio for Down syndrome, provide an optimal venue and infrastructure for patient-oriented research, and conduct basic, clinical, and translational research on Down syndrome; (2) carry out a program to make individuals aware of opportunities to participate as subjects in research conducted by the centers; and (3) establish or expand training programs for medical and allied health clinicians and scientists in research relevant to Down syndrome. Requires the Director, in coordination of the National Down Syndrome Patient Registry and Biobank (Biobank), to provide for a program under which samples of tissues and genetic materials that are of use in research on Down syndrome are made available. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) establish the Down Syndrome Coordinating Committee to coordinate federal health programs relating to Down syndrome; (2) award grants and cooperative agreements for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on, and for epidemiological activities regarding, Down syndrome; (3) establish the Biobank and an advisory committee; and (4) enter into cooperative agreements to develop, implement, and manage Down Syndrome Centers of Excellence.
Bill· HRH.R. 3749 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2009
Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act - Requires federal public land management officials to exercise their authority under existing law, including regarding land use planning, to provide for the use of, and access to, federal public lands and waters for fishing, sport hunting, and recreational shooting, except as described in this Act. Requires the heads of federal public land management agencies to exercise their discretion in a manner that supports, promotes, and enhances recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting opportunities, to the extent authorized under applicable law. States that Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service lands, excluding lands on the Outer Continental Shelf, shall be open to recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting unless the managing agency acts to close lands to such activity. Permits closures or restrictions on such lands for purposes including resource conservation, public safety, energy or mineral production, energy generation or transmission infrastructure, water supply facilities, national security, or compliance with other law. Requires publication of a public notice preceding any such closures or restrictions, unless mandated by other law. Requires annual reports on closures of federal public lands to recreational fishing, sport hunting, or shooting. Sets forth requirements for specified closures or significant restrictions involving 640 or more acres of federal public lands or waters to fishing or hunting. Establishes the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and the Sporting Conservation Council.
Bill· HRH.R. 3747 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2009
Water Efficiency, Conservation, and Adaptation Act of 2009 - Establishes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a WaterSense program to identify and promote water efficient products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services (products, facilities, and services) so as to: (1) reduce water use and the strain on water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure; (2) conserve energy used to pump, heat, transport, and treat water; and (3) preserve water resources through voluntary labeling of, or other forms of communications about, products, facilities, and services that meet the highest water efficiency and performance criteria. Sets forth the duties of Administrator of the EPA under the program, including to: (1) establish a WaterSense label and certification procedures and to promote labeled products, facilities, and services for reducing water use and ensuring performance; (2) review and update WaterSense criteria for categories of products, facilities, and services; (3) estimate and make available the production and relative market shares of, and the savings of water, energy, and capital costs of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure attributable to, labeled products, facilities, and services; (4) notify the public of any changes on the adoption of a new or revised WaterSense category, specification, installation criterion, or other criterion and explain such changes; (5) implement other voluntary approaches in commercial, institutional, residential, industrial, and municipal sectors to encourage recycling and reuse technologies to improve water efficiency or lower water use; and (6) apply the WaterSense label as appropriate to water-using products that are labeled by the Energy Star program. Requires the Administrator to: (1) allocate funds to establish and implement a program of financial incentives for consumer purchase and installation of water-efficient products, facilities, and services; and (2) make grants to owners or operators of specified water systems to address any ongoing or forecasted climate-related impact on the water quality or quantity of a region of the United States for the purposes of mitigating or adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Bill· HRH.R. 3727 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2009
Drinking Water Adaptation, Technology, Education, and Research (WATER) Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and provide funding for a program of directed and applied research, to be conducted through a nonprofit water research foundation and sponsored by drinking water utilities, to assist the utilities in adapting to the effects of climate change. Requires research areas to include: (1) water quality impacts and solutions; (2) impacts on groundwater supplies from carbon sequestration; (3) water quantity impacts and solutions; (4) infrastructure impacts and solutions for water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities and underground pipelines; (5) desalination, water reuse, and alternative supply technologies; (6) energy efficiency and greenhouse gas minimization; (7) regional and hydrological basin cooperative water management solutions; (8) utility management, decision support systems, and water management models; (9) greenhouse gas emissions reduction and improvement of energy demand management; (10) water conservation and demand management; and (11) communications, education, and public acceptance.
Bill· HRH.R. 3725 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2009
National Highway Chokepoint Congestion Relief Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) issue regulations to establish a chokepoint congestion relief program; and (2) develop criteria for designating national chokepoint regions in a state. Authorizes the Secretary to make capital improvement grants to states in order to carry out eligible projects that reduce traffic congestion in the national chokepoint regions. Sets forth a formula for the apportioning of grant funds. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) states should adopt both interim and long-term objectives for significantly reducing traffic congestion at chokepoint areas; (2) establishment of performance measures and quantitative goals will allow states to make efficient use of available resources on projects that have the maximum impact in reducing traffic congestion and improving mobility at chokepoint areas; and (3) alleviation of traffic congestion requires Congress to commit to authorizing and funding nonautomotive travel modes as well as travel demand management, growth management, land use, and green infrastructure strategies. Requires the Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), through the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, to study and report to specified congressional committees on the extent to which congestion pricing (including that utilized in London, England, and Stockholm, Sweden) can encourage travelers to drive during off-peak hours, or change their mode of transportation, and can also generate revenue and thus require less tax-based funding.
Bill· HRH.R. 3720 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2009
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate a rule: (1) to improve the daytime and nighttime visibility of agricultural equipment operating on public roads; and (2) that establishes minimum lighting and marking standards for such equipment. Requires the Secretary to review and revise such standards at least once every five years to reflect the latest edition of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) S279 standard published by the American Society of Agriculture and Biological Engineers entitled "Lighting and Marking of Agricultural Equipment on Highways".
Bill· SS. 1741 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2009
Green Taxis Act of 2009 - Allows states or political subdivisions to prescribe requirements for fuel economy for taxicabs and other automobiles if such requirements are at least as stringent as federal requirements and if such vehicles: (1) are automobiles that are capable of transporting not more than 10 individuals, including the driver; (2) are commercially available or are designed and manufactured pursuant to a contract with such state or subdivision; (3) are operated for hire pursuant to a license, permit, or other authorization issued by such state or subdivision; (4) provide local transportation for a fare determined on the basis of the time or distance traveled; and (5) do not exclusively provide transportation to and from airports. Amends the Clean Air Act to allow states or political subdivisions to adopt and enforce standards for the control of emissions from new motor vehicles that are taxicabs and other vehicles if such standards will be at least as protective of public health and welfare as applicable federal standards and if such vehicles meet the other criteria specified above.
Bill· SS. 1744 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2009
Enhancing Flight Crewmembers' Training - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to prescribe regulations to require each air carrier to develop and implement standards and methods to ensure flight crewmembers have proper qualifications and experience to serve as crewmembers.
Bill· HRH.R. 3711 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2009
Green Taxis Act of 2009 - Allows states or political subdivisions to prescribe requirements for fuel economy for taxicabs and other automobiles if such requirements are at least as stringent as federal requirements and if such vehicles: (1) are automobiles that are capable of transporting not more than 10 individuals, including the driver; (2) are commercially available or are designed and manufactured pursuant to a contract with such state or subdivision; (3) are operated for hire pursuant to a license, permit, or other authorization issued by such state or subdivision; (4) provide local transportation for a fare determined on the basis of the time or distance traveled; and (5) do not exclusively provide transportation to and from airports. Amends the Clean Air Act to allow states or political subdivisions to adopt and enforce standards for the control of emissions from new motor vehicles that are taxicabs and other vehicles if such standards will be at least as protective of public health and welfare as applicable federal standards and if such vehicles meet the other criteria specified above.
Bill· SS. 1729 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2009
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to award grants to states and tribal governments to provide continued driver training courses for teenagers (between 16 and 20) who are licensed drivers. Requires the Secretary to give priority to applicants that: (1) maximize participation of teenage drivers in the proposed driver training course; and (2) supplement the grant funds from other sources.
Bill· SS. 1721 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2009
Transportation Low Emissions Energy Plan 2020 Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), in coordination with the Secretary of Energy (DOE) and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to establish a stakeholder-driven process to develop a national transportation low emissions energy plan. Requires such plan to: (1) project the near- and long-term need for and location of electric drive vehicle refueling infrastructure at strategic locations across all major national highways, roads, and corridors; (2) identify infrastructure and standardization needs for electricity providers, infrastructure providers, vehicle manufacturers, and electricity purchasers; (3) establish a goal of achieving strategic deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure by 2020; (4) prioritize the development of standardized public charge access ports with wireless or smart card billing capability and level I and level II charge port systems (that charge an electric vehicle over a period of 8 to 14 hours and 4 to 8 hours, respectively) that will meet the energy requirements of the majority of plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles; (5) examine the feasibility of level III charge port systems that can charge over a period of 10 to 20 minutes; and (6) focus on infrastructure that provides consumers with the lowest cost while providing convenient charge system access. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) designate within DOT a LEEP coordinator to oversee Plan development and the implementation of regional pilot projects; and (2) establish four pilot projects to demonstrate electric drive vehicles and infrastructure in rural locations and in commercial use.
Bill· HRH.R. 3656 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2009
Trisomy 21 Translational Research Parity Act of 2009 or the 21 Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH): (1) in coordination with the directors of specified national research institutes, to expand and intensify NIH programs with respect to translational research and related activities concerning Down syndrome; and (2) allocate specified funds among such institutes. Requires the Director to award grants and contracts for, and provide for the establishment of, at least six centers of excellence regarding such translational research to: (1) contribute to a comprehensive research portfolio for Down syndrome, provide an optimal venue and infrastructure for patient-oriented research, and conduct basic, clinical, and translational research on Down syndrome; (2) carry out a program to make individuals aware of opportunities to participate as subjects in research conducted by the centers; and (3) establish or expand training programs for medical and allied health clinicians and scientists in research relevant to Down syndrome. Requires the Director, in coordination of the National Down Syndrome Patient Registry and Biobank (Biobank), to provide for a program under which samples of tissues and genetic materials that are of use in research on Down syndrome are made available. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) establish the Down Syndrome Coordinating Committee to coordinate federal health programs relating to Down syndrome; (2) award grants and cooperative agreements for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on, and for epidemiological activities regarding, Down syndrome; (3) establish the Biobank and an advisory committee; and (4) enter into cooperative agreements to develop, implement, and manage Down Syndrome Centers of Excellence.
Bill· SS. 1712 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2009
Water Efficiency, Conservation, and Adaptation Act of 2009 - Establishes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a WaterSense program to identify and promote water efficient products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services (products, facilities, and services) so as to: (1) reduce water use and the strain on water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure; (2) conserve energy used to pump, heat, transport, and treat water; and (3) preserve water resources through voluntary labeling of, or other forms of communications about, products, facilities, and services that meet the highest water efficiency and performance criteria. Sets forth the duties of Administrator of the EPA under the program, including to: (1) establish a WaterSense label and certification procedures and to promote labeled products, facilities, and services for reducing water use and ensuring performance; (2) review and update WaterSense criteria for categories of products, facilities, and services; (3) estimate and make available the production and relative market shares of, and the savings of water, energy, and capital costs of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure attributable to, labeled products, facilities, and services; (4) notify the public of any changes on the adoption of a new or revised WaterSense category, specification, installation criterion, or other criterion and explain such changes; (5) implement other voluntary approaches in commercial, institutional, residential, industrial, and municipal sectors to encourage recycling and reuse technologies to improve water efficiency or lower water use; and (6) apply the WaterSense label as appropriate to water-using products that are labeled by the Energy Star program. Requires the Administrator to: (1) allocate funds to establish and implement a program of financial incentives for consumer purchase and installation of water-efficient products, facilities, and services; and (2) make grants to owners or operators of specified water systems to address any ongoing or forecasted climate-related impact on the water quality or quantity of a region of the United States for the purposes of mitigating or adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Bill· HRH.R. 3645 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2009
Indian School Bus Route Safety Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to authorize appropriations for FY2010-FY2015 for allocations to states for Indian reservation roads.
Bill· SS. 1701 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2009
Bridge Life Extension Act of 2009 - Requires a state, as a condition of receiving federal-aid highway funding, to develop and implement a highway bridge management system that meets certain requirements. Requires a state, in developing and implementing such a system, to: (1) identify corrosion mitigation and prevention methods to preserve its highway bridges; (2) establish a project maintenance program to extend the life of such bridges; and (3) ensure that maintenance individuals are qualified and all highway bridge engineers and inspectors implementing the system are trained, and certified by the state, in corrosion mitigation and prevention techniques. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a minimum federal standard for corrosion mitigation and prevention training and certification for such individuals.
Law· HRH.R. 3619 (111th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2009
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2010 for the Coast Guard. Authorizes FY2010 levels of Coast Guard active duty military personnel and average military training student loads. Sets forth various provisions relating to Coast Guard personnel matters. Authorizes grants to international maritime organizations. Establishes the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee. Requires the Coast Guard Commandant to establish certain programs involving minority serving institutions and their students. Sets forth various provisions, including provisions related to shipping and navigation, law enforcement (including with respect to drug law enforcement), liability limits for natural gas deepwater ports, claims against the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, ship emission reduction technology, vessels supporting oil and gas development, Arctic marine shipping, and the enhanced Loran (eLORAN) supplemental positioning system. Great Lakes Icebreaker Replacement Act - Authorizes appropriations for the design, acquisition, and construction of a combined buoy tender-icebreaker to replace icebreaking capacity on the Great Lakes. Coast Guard Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 - Revises Coast Guard acquisition requirements. Maritime Workforce Development Act - Requires maritime career training loans to students and authorizes competitive grants to maritime training institutions. Coast Guard Modernization Act of 2009 - Revises provisions concerning the organization of the Coast Guard and takes a variety of steps regarding maritime safety. Maritime Safety Act of 2009 - Regulates vessel size limits, the rebuilding or replacing of vessels, fishery management in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area or the Gulf of Alaska, maritime safety, oil fuel tank protection, merchant mariners' documents, vessel staffing requirements, and the Navigation Safety Advisory Council. Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009 - Establishes passenger vessel requirements for security and safety and for crew crime scene preservation training. United States Mariner and Vessel Protection Act of 2009 - Shields an owner, operator, time charterer, master, or mariner who uses force to defend a vessel of the United States against piracy from liability for any related injury or death.
Bill· HRH.R. 3618 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2009
Clean Hull Act of 2009 - Defines "covered vessel" to mean any vessel (except U.S. or foreign warships, naval auxiliary, or other government noncommercial service vessels): (1) documented under U.S. laws; (2) authorized to operate on the Outer Continental Shelf; or (3) otherwise operating in U.S. internal waters or territorial seas, or is in a U.S. port. Defines "antifouling system" as a coating, surface treatment, or device used on a vessel to control or prevent attachment of unwanted organisms. Requires covered vessels of at least 400 gross tons that engage in one or more international voyages, upon entry into force of the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001, to carry an International Antifouling System Certificate, issued by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating. Exempts from this requirement fixed or floating platforms, floating storage units (FSUs), and floating production, storage, or offloading unit (FPSOs). Requires covered vessels of at least 24 meters in length, but less than 400 gross tons, engaged on an international voyage (with the same exceptions as for vessels of at least 400 tons) to carry a signed declaration that the vessel's antifouling system complies with the Convention. Sets forth a process for considering additional controls on antifouling systems. Makes it unlawful for a person to: (1) violate a requirement of this Act; (2) sell or distribute domestically or internationally organotin (biocide) or an antifouling system containing organotin; (3) manufacture or use organotin to formulate an antifouling system; (4) apply an antifouling system that contains organotin on a vessel; or (5) apply an antifouling system on a vessel in violation of the Convention. Prohibits the hull of a vessel, with specified exceptions, from bearing an antifouling system that contains organotin, unless it bears an overcoating that forms a barrier to organotin leaching from the underlying antifouling system. Authorizes the Secretary to investigate and enforce vessel compliance with the requirements of this Act or the Convention. Authorizes inspections by officers or employees of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or of any state designated by the EPA Administrator. Subjects a person who knowingly violates this Act or the Convention to specified criminal and civil penalties. Repeals the Organotin Antifouling Paint Control Act of 1988.
Bill· HRH.R. 3617 (111th)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2009
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2009 - Reauthorizes the federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, boating safety, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund for the period beginning October 1, 2009, and ending on the earlier of: (1) the enactment of a multiyear law reauthorizing such programs; and (2) December 31, 2009.
Bill· HRH.R. 3629 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2009
Healthy Borderlands Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and implement a comprehensive mitigation plan to address the ecological and environmental impacts of border security infrastructure, measures, and activities along the international land borders of the United States. Requires the plan to include measures to address and mitigate the full range of such impacts, including: (1) preserving, maintaining, and restoring wildlife migration corridors, key habitats, and the ecologically functional connectivity among key habitats sufficient to ensure that species remain viable and are able to adapt to the impacts of climate change; (2) addressing control of invasive species; (3) maintaining hydrological functionality; and (5) protection of cultural and historical resources. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out the plan on any federal, state, private, or tribal lands, provided that activities are carried out in full consultation with, and with the concurrence of, the owner or entity with principal responsibility for the management of such lands. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer funds of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to other federal agencies for: (1) expenditure under programs of such agencies that are designed to fund conservation-related activities on nonfederal lands; and (2) mitigation activities on federal lands managed by such agencies.
Law· HRH.R. 3607 (111th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2009
Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through December 31, 2009: (1) excise taxes on aviation fuels and air transportation of persons and property; and (2) the expenditure authority for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. Authorizes appropriations through the three-month period beginning on October 1, 2009, for airport improvement program (AIP) projects, including project grant authority. Extends through December 31, 2009, various airport development projects, including: (1) the pilot program for passenger facility fees at nonhub airports; (2) small airport grants for airports located in the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau; (3) state and local airport land use compatibility projects; (4) the authority of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to apply for an airport development grant and impose a passenger facility fee; (5) the temporary increase to 95% in the government share of certain AIP project costs; and (6) Midway Island airport development. Extends through FY2010 the authorization of appropriations for agreements the Sectrary of Transportation makes for assistance under the small community air service development program. Extends through December 31, 2009, Department of Transportation (DOT) insurance coverage for domestic and foreign-flag air carriers. Allows further extension through March 31, 2010. Extends through March 31, 2010, air carrier liability limits for injuries to passengers resulting from acts of terrorism. Extends through December 31, 2009, certain competitive access assurance requirements for large or medium hub airport sponsors applying for AIP grants. Extends through FY2010 the termination date of any order issued by the Secretary with respect to the eligibility of certain places for essential air service compensation. Extends through the three-month period beginning on October 1, 2009, the authorization of appropriations for: (1) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations; (2) air navigation facilities and equipment; and (3) research, engineering, and development.
Bill· HRH.R. 3598 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2009
Energy and Water Research Integration Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy, in carrying out energy research, development, and demonstration programs of the Department of Energy (DOE), to: (1) seek to advance energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices that would minimize freshwater withdrawal and consumption, increase water use efficiency, and utilize nontraditional water sources with efforts to improve the quality of that water; (2) consider the effects climate change may have on water supplies and quality for energy generation and fuel production; and (3) improve understanding of the energy required to provide water supplies and the water required to provide reliable energy supplies throughout the United States. Requires the Secretary to incorporate specified considerations, including: (1) new advanced cooling technologies for energy generation and fuel production technologies; (2) innovative water reuse, recovery, and treatment in energy generation and fuel production; and (3) reduction of water resource impacts of fossil fuel resource development. Directs the Secretary, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to establish an Energy-Water Architecture Council to promote and enable improved energy and water resource data collection, reporting, and technological innovation. Requires the Council to: (1) adopt data collection and communication standards and protocols for the energy required to provide water supplies and the water required to provide reliable energy supplies; (2) make improvements to federal water use data to increase understanding of trends in power plant water use; (3) integrate existing monitoring networks to provide nationally uniform water and energy use and infrastructure data; and (4) conduct an annual technical workshop to facilitate information exchange among experts on technologies that encourage the conservation and efficient use of water energy.
Bill· HRH.R. 3605 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2009
Authorizes a state to allow, by special permit, the operation of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 95,000 pounds for the hauling of livestock. Limits the cost of a special permit for a livestock trailer to no more than $200 per year.
Bill· SS. 1666 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2009
Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the introduction into commerce of a mid-level ethanol blend (an ethanol-gasoline blend containing greater than 10% ethanol) for use in conventional gasoline-powered onroad or nonroad vehicles and nonroad engines only if: (1) EPA's Science Advisory Board submits to the Administrator, and the Administrator provides for public notice and comment, a report describing the impact of the blend on such vehicles, emissions, and associated materials compatibility and consumer issues, the ability of the gasoline distribution infrastructure to introduce the blend without widespread misfueling by consumers, and the estimated ability of consumers to purchase gasoline other than that blend in in all areas of the United States by five years after the blend is introduced; (2) the permit or authorization is granted through the fuels and fuel additives waiver process under the Clean Air Act and the Administrator formally responds to the Board's recommendations in the waiver announcement; and (3) the blend is introduced for general use in all conventional gasoline-powered onroad and nonroad vehicles and nonroad engines in widespread use as of the date on which the Administrator authorizes that introduction.
Bill· HRH.R. 3538 (111th)failed
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2009
Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a special use authorization to the owners of a water storage, transport, or diversion facility located on National Forest System land in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho for continued operation, maintenance, and reconstruction of such facility if it is determined that: (1) the facility was in existence on the date on which it was designated as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System; (2) the facility has been in continuous use to deliver water for beneficial use on the owner's non-federal land since the date designation; (3) the owner holds a valid water right for use of the water on such land under Idaho state law, with a priority date that predates such date; and (4) it is not practicable or feasible to relocate the facility to land outside of the wilderness and continue the beneficial use of water on the non-federal land. Sets forth specified terms and conditions regarding the issuance of a special use authorization under this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 3535 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2009
Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting by Drivers Act of 2009 or the ALERT Drivers Act - Requires the Secretary of Transportation to withhold 25% of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway program funds for the fiscal year if the state has not enacted or is not enforcing a law that: (1) prohibits, except in an emergency, an operator of a motor vehicle from writing, sending, or reading a text message using a hand-held mobile telephone (excluding a vehicle-integrated, voice-activated device); and (2) requires, upon conviction of a violation of such prohibition, the imposition of certain minimum penalties.
Bill· SS. 1619 (111th)open
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2009
Livable Communities Act of 2009 - Establishes in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) an Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC). Establishes in the executive branch an independent Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities. Requires the OSHC Director to establish a program to make comprehensive planning grants and sustainability challenge grants to eligible entities (partnerships between a consortium of units of general local government and an eligible partner, which may be a metropolitan planning organization, a rural planning organization, a regional council, or a state). Requires the use of a comprehensive planning grant to carry out a project to: (1) coordinate land use, housing, transportation, and infrastructure planning processes across jurisdictions and agencies; (2) identify potential regional partnerships for developing and implementing a comprehensive regional plan; (3) conduct or update housing, infrastructure, transportation, energy, and environmental assessments to determine regional needs and promote sustainable development; (4) develop or update a comprehensive regional plan or goals and strategies to implement an existing comprehensive regional plan; and (5) implement local zoning and other code changes necessary to implement a comprehensive regional plan and promote sustainable development. Requires the use of a sustainability challenge grant to: (1) promote integrated transportation, housing, energy, and economic development activities carried out across policy and governmental jurisdictions; (2) promote sustainable and location-efficient development; and (3) implement projects identified in a comprehensive regional plan. Directs the OSHC Director to study and report to specified congressional committees on incentives for encouraging lenders to make, and homebuyers and homeowners to participate in, energy-efficient mortgages and location-efficient mortgages.
Bill· SS. 1641 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2009
Increases the federal share of federal-aid highway construction projects for FY2011 and FY2012 for any state with an unemployment rate equal to or exceeding 11% at any time during FY2009 and FY2010. Increases the federal share of costs for FY2011-FY2012: (1) from 90% to 95% for Interstate System projects; and (2) from 80% to 85% for other transportation projects. Suspends certain eligibility requirements with respect to the use of tolls as a credit toward the non-federal share of project costs in such states for those fiscal years. Makes eligible for use as such a credit for such fiscal years any tolls that were not previously eligible. Suspends, as well, certain state transportation capital expenditure maintenance of effort requirements during FY2011-FY2012.
Bill· SS. 1627 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2009
Consumer Fuels and Vehicle Choice Act of 2009 - Requires each manufacturer to ensure that at least 50% of 2011 and 2012 model year automobiles and light duty trucks manufactured for sale in the United States are dual fueled. Increases the minimum to 90% for later model years. (Excludes automobiles and light duty trucks that operate only on electricity.) Requires the Secretary of Energy to make grants to major fuel distributors to pay the federal share of costs to install blender pump fuel infrastructure at majority-owned stations and branded stations: (1) for the direct retail sale of ethanol fuel blends (including E-85 fuel), including blender pumps and storage tanks; and (2) to directly market such fuels to gas retailers, including in-line blending equipment, pumps, storage tanks, and loadout equipment. Provides for infrastructure installation subgrants to direct retailers of ethanol fuel blends (including E-85 fuel) as well as blender pumps and storage tanks. Amends the Clean Air Act to define: (1) "E-85 fuel" as a blend of gasoline at least 85% derived from ethanol; and (2) "ethanol fuel blend" as a blend of gasoline and ethanol, with a minimum of 0% and maximum of 85% derived from denatured ethanol. Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations to ensure that each major fuel distributor installs one or more blender pumps that dispense E-85 fuel and ethanol fuel blends at specified minimum percentages of majority-owned stations and branded stations for specified years in each state. Allows major fuel distributors to earn and sell credits if they exceed the percentage of blender pump installations at majority-owned stations and branded stations.
Bill· SS. 1638 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2009
Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act - Requires Amtrak, at a station that accepts checked baggage for a specific Amtrak route, to allow a passenger holding a ticket for such route to place an unloaded firearm or starter pistol in a bag that has been checked at the station if: (1) before checking the bag or boarding the train, the passenger declares to Amtrak that an unloaded firearm is in his or her checked bag; (2) the firearm is carried in a locked hard-sided container; and (3) only the passenger has the key or combination to such container. Allows an Amtrak passenger to place small arms ammunition for personal use in a checked bag on an Amtrak route if the ammunition is securely packed in specified kinds of boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry such ammunition. Prohibits the application of such requirements in any fiscal year in which Amtrak does not receive federal assistance.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 242 (111th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2009
Supports the goals and ideals of National Aerospace Day. Recognizes the contributions of the aerospace industry to the history, economy, security, and educational system of the United States.
Bill· SS. 1564 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2009
Arctic Oil Spill Research and Prevention Act of 2009 - Directs the Commandant of the Coast Guard to assess and take action to reduce the risk of, and improve the U.S. capability to respond to, a maritime disaster in the United States Beaufort and Chukchi Sea, including the prioritization of resources to address such issues as: (1) oil spill response capabilities and infrastructure; (2) coordinating contingency plans and agreements with U.S. agencies, industry, and foreign governments to respond to an Arctic oil spill; and (3) expansion of search and rescue capabilities, infrastructure, and logistics. Directs the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and in collaboration with other agencies with appropriate Arctic science expertise, to direct research and take action to improve the U.S. ability to conduct oil spill prevention, response, and recovery in Arctic waters. Requires the Secretary to request that the National Research Council conduct a risk assessment to identify and evaluate existing spill prevention and response standards and develop recommendations that will enhance safety and lessen the potential adverse environmental impacts of industrial activities in Arctic waters. Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to make specified sums in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund available annually to the Coast Guard, NOAA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Minerals Management Service for Arctic oil spill research and development for FY2010-FY2014.
Bill· SS. 1561 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2009
Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment Implementation Act of 2009 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should work to establish agreements to promote coordinated action among the United States, Russia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark and other seafaring and Arctic nations with respect to navigation, monitoring of conditions, and marine pollution in waters of the Arctic. Requires the Commandant of the Coast Guard to: (1) submit the High Latitude Polar Ice-Breaking Mission Analysis Report to Congress, along with any recommendations related to it; (2) contract with an independent entity to analyze future mission requirements of the Coast Guard in the Arctic and Antarctic; and (3) prepare vessel traffic risk assessments for the Bering Strait, Alaska, and for the Arctic Ocean waters adjacent to Alaska's North Slope. Directs the Commandant to consult with the Secretary of the Army to determine the viability of making the harbor at St. George Island, Alaska, a fully functional harbor of refuge throughout the year to enhance safety of life at sea and protection from oil pollution in the Central Bering Sea. Directs the Secretary of the Army to complete the harbor at St. George Island, including such improvements and any engineering design needed for safe navigation. Requires a study on the feasibility and potential of establishing a deep water sea port in the Arctic to protect and advance U.S. strategic interests within the Arctic region. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to transfer all amounts provided pursuant to any Act for procurement of polar icebreaking services to the United States Coast Guard Appropriation Accounts, to remain available until expended for operating expenses, renovation, and improvement. Authorizes appropriations to: (1) the Department of Homeland Security for icebreaking operations, Arctic seasonal operations, vessel traffic risk assessments, and construction of bases in Barrow, Nome, and Saint Paul Island, Alaska; and (2) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for hydrographic data acquisition and services and coastal change analysis in the Arctic.
Bill· SS. 1566 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2009
Arctic Climate Adaptation Act - Establishes in the Department of Commerce an American Arctic Adaptation Grant Program. Directs the Denali Commission to: (1) be the Alaska Project Coordinator for the Program; (2) select, administer, and coordinate projects awarded grants under the Program; (3) establish an Adaptation Advisory Committee to advise the Commission on climate adaptation needs and investments and on the award of grants under the Program; and (4) publish an annual work plan for the Program. Permits the Commission to combine funds from the Program with awards from other appropriate federal or state infrastructure development, construction, or maintenance programs to provide funds to carry out an eligible project. Defines "eligible project" as a project to repair, replace, or maintain an element of public infrastructure in a coastal or remote Alaskan village damaged or threatened by the effects of climate change. Requires the Commission, during FY2010 and in collaboration with the state of Alaska, the University of Alaska, and relevant U.S. agencies, to conduct research on best practices for climate related adaptation that are being used or researched by other polar nations or foreign or domestic research institutions or institutions of higher learning and that could be used by Arctic communities in Alaska.
Bill· HRH.R. 3471 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
REAL ID Repeal and Identification Security Enhancement Act of 2009 - Repeals title II of the Real ID Act of 2005. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) establish by regulation minimum standards for acceptance of state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards by federal agencies; (2) establish a negotiated rulemaking process before publishing such standards; and (3) award grants to states to assist them in conforming to such standards. Prohibits federal agencies from accepting state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards after specified deadlines unless such identification conforms to the minimum standards promulgated under this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 3513 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2009 - Amends the federal criminal code to increase criminal penalties for offenses relating to the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, transportation of minors for illicit sexual purposes, child sex trafficking and prostitution, and sex crimes against children resulting in death. Directs the Attorney General to notify the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security of individuals, including aliens, who are convicted of sex offenses against children. Requires the Secretary of State to deny passports for such individuals and authorizes the Secretary to revoke, restrict, or limit a passport issued to a convicted sex offender if the passport was used to transport a minor for illicit sexual purposes. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to place aliens convicted of sex offenses in removal proceedings. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) render aliens who are convicted of sexual abuse of a minor inadmissible to the United States; and (2) subject aliens convicted of a sex crime against a minor to deportation.
Bill· HRH.R. 3505 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
American Energy Production and Price Reduction Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that at no time shall Congress enact legislation that will lead to the increase of domestic energy prices. Amends the Submerged Lands Act to: (1) revise the seaward boundaries of states from three geographical miles to 12 nautical miles; and (2) retain as federal property all oil and gas mineral rights for lands beneath the navigable waters located within such expanded offshore state seaward boundaries. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to revise requirements for: (1) the determination of Adjacent Zones and Planning Areas; (2) lease administration and granting of leases; and (3) treatment of receipts from tracts within specified miles of a state coastline. Revamps procedures for the reservation of lands and rights. Authorizes the President to revoke or revise prior withdrawals from leasing within certain areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Revises the OCS leasing program. Prescribes a program for approval of pipeline construction (including a petroleum products pipeline) within part of an Adjacent State's Adjacent Zone. Cites conditions under which leases and exploration activities are categorically excluded from the need to prepare an environmental assessment or impact statement. Prescribes procedures for federal repurchase of certain leases, including oil and gas leases. Permits offsite environmental mitigation. Sets forth procedures for the exchange of specified leases within the California or Florida Adjacent Zone. Repeals: (1) the coastal impact assistance program; and (2) the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to implement a competitive leasing program for oil and gas exploration, development, and production on the Alaska Coastal Plain. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against leasing or other development regarding production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Deems any oil and gas leasing programs and activities authorized by this Act to be in compliance with ANWR purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to designate specified acres of the Coastal Plain as a Special Area, after consultation with the state of Alaska, the city of Kaktovik, and the North Slope Borough. Permits directional drilling in the Special Area. Prescribes procedures governing Coastal Plain lease sales. Prescribes a "no significant adverse effect" standard to govern Coastal Plain activities. Prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from denying a license application under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 on the grounds that sufficient capacity does not exist, or will not become available on a timely basis, for disposal of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste from the facility for which the authorization is sought. Amends the Internal Revenue Code: (1) to prescribe an ASME Nuclear Certification credit of 15% of the qualified nuclear expenditures paid or incurred by the taxpayer; and (2) repeal the deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities. Amends the Clean Air Act to exclude from the term "air pollutant" carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, or sulfur hexafluoride. Declares the Clean Air Act shall not be treated as authorizing or requiring the regulation of climate change or global warming. Amends the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to set forth procedures for judicial review of federal agency compliance. Amends the Clean Air Act to repeal specified amendments to the renewable fuel standard. Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, to repeal the requirement to consult regarding impacts on global warming and the polar bear population. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal lighting energy efficiency standards for general service incandescent lamps and other designated lamps. Emergency Solar Power Permit Act - Amends NEPA to exempt any action relating to a solar energy project on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from environmental impact statement (EIS) requirements. Directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct a five-year natural gas vehicle research and development program. Amends the IRC to: (1) make permanent alternative fuel credits for compressed or liquefied natural gas and the vehicles powered by such gas; (2) allow vehicle and infrastructure credits against regular and minimum tax and transferability of credits; (3) grant a credit for producing vehicles fueled by natural or liquefied natural gas; (4) grant a special allowance for coal-to-liquid plant property in the accelerated cost recovery system; and (5) extend permanently the credit for nonbusiness energy property and the credit for gas produced from biomass and for synthetic fuels produced from coal. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize appropriations for large-scale coal-to-liquid facilities. Directs the Secretary to establish a coal-to-liquid facilities loan and loan guarantee programs. Amends the IRC to: (1) provide for a seven-year depreciation for clean coal technology or for carbon sequestration technology installed or retrofitted at power-plants; (2) extend the 50-cent per gallon alternative fuels excise tax credit; and (3) allow a tax credit for 30% of the expenditures made by an individual or business for energy production and distribution facilities. Directs the Internal Revenue Service to treat the synthetic gas produced from coal-to-liquids with the same tax treatment as covered by the industrial gasification tax credit. Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to provide clean coal technology loan guarantees and direct loans for research, development, and deployment of clean coal technology in order to build up to five commercial-scale coal-fired plants with carbon capture and sequestration capabilities. Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a national assessment of carbon dioxide storage capacity. Directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct and report to certain congressional committees on an efficiency audit, and quantify the operating efficiencies, of all coal-fired electric generation facilities in the United States. Amends the IRC to extend specified tax incentives for energy, among them credits for: (1) energy efficient appliances; (2) nonbusiness energy property; (3) residential energy efficient property; and (4) new energy efficient homes.
Bill· HRH.R. 3503 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
Salmon Solutions and Planning Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for scientific analysis of federal salmon recovery efforts, including a review of Snake River dam removal (Washington state) and other actions necessary to achieve recovery of endangered or threatened salmon and steelhead populations of the Columbia and Snake River Basin. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of which rail, highway, and Columbia River barge infrastructure improvements would be necessary to ensure a cost-effective and efficient transportation system for shippers who currently use barge transportation between Lewiston, Idaho, and the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers and who would be unable to do so if the four lower Snake River dams were removed; (2) the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of options to replace the power currently generated by such dams if they were removed; (3) the Army Corps of Engineers to analyze riverfront revitalization and restoration opportunities and costs in the event of such removal; and (4) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of the options and costs regarding any needed modifications to affected irrigation systems, cooling systems, and private wells if the dams were removed. Sets forth the congressional determination that the Secretary of the Army may remove the four lower Snake River dams. Directs the Secretary to reevaluate and update the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Final Lower Snake River Juvenile Salmon Migration Feasibility Report/Environmental Impact Statement (February 2002) pursuant to new information.
Bill· HRH.R. 3518 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
Waterfront Brownfields Revitalization Act - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to require the President to establish a grant program for reuse planning, site characterization and assessment, or remediation at waterfront brownfields sites, including the integration of activities related to the design and implementation of water quality improvements, low impact development approaches, green infrastructure, remediation and management of sediments, or flood damage prevention associated with brownfields remediation and reuse. Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide training, research, and technical assistance to individuals and organizations to facilitate waterfront brownfields revitalization. Authorizes funding for brownfields revitalization for FY2010-FY2014. Requires the Administrator to establish and serve as chairperson of a task force on waterfront brownfields revitalization that shall identify: (1) funding and technical assistance resources for such revitalization; (2) barriers to and solutions for revitalization; and (3) methods to coordinate interagency revitalization efforts. Directs: (1) the Administrator to submit to specified congressional committees an annual report on the implementation of the brownfield site characterization and assessment grant program authorized by CERCLA; and (2) such committees to hold hearings each year on such report.
Bill· HRH.R. 3517 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
Commute LESS Act of 2009 or the Commute-Leveraging Employer Support and Successes Act of 2009 - Amends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to revise the composition of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to include at least one representative designated by an employer advisory council established by this Act. Revises contents of MPO transportation plans prepared for metropolitan planning areas to include proposed activities and strategies to provide outreach to employers in the region to create and expand alternative commuting and commuter benefit programs (i.e. carpools, transit benefit, and telework programs). Requires each MPO to establish an employer advisory council consisting of representatives of employers within the MPO's boundaries. Requires an MPO transportation improvement program (TIP) to be developed in coordination with the advisory council and to include projects identified by it. Requires the advisory council to: (1) review how long-range transportation plans and TIPs will affect commuting habits; and (2) develop a commuter trip reduction plan. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to create and expand employer investment in transportation and commuter benefit programs. Requires a state receiving funding, in coordination with MPOs, to establish statewide goals for achieving reductions in vehicle miles traveled. Requires a recipient receiving federal-aid highway funding for a project with a value of $100 million or more or that will reduce traffic flow for more than 120 days to prepare, in coordination with the advisory council, a congestion mitigation plan for the project that includes funding for projects that reduce peak hour vehicle miles traveled along an impacted corridor. Requires the Secretary, when approving a major capital investment grant of $75 million or more for a major new fixed guideway capital project, to consider, among other things, the ability of the grant recipient to work with employers to get commuters to utilize the project. Directs the Secretary to require the grant applicant to include in its request a plan on how it intends to work with local employers and transportation management organizations to create and expand a commuter benefit program for the project.
Bill· HRH.R. 3461 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
Orphan Highway Restoration Act - Defines "orphan highway" to mean a highway that: (1) formerly was a U.S. numbered highway; (2) no longer is a principal route for traffic passing through a state; and (3) because of decreased importance to statewide transportation, has received only routine maintenance but needs significant restoration. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) make grants and provide technical assistance to states and local government units to restore orphan highways; and (2) allocate funds to grant recipients for FY2010-FY2015 based on a calculated formula.
Bill· HRH.R. 3488 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
Clean Cities Program Authorization Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to carry out a Clean Cities program, as a partnership between government and industry, to encourage and accelerate the use of non-petroleum based fuels, alternative fuel vehicles, and other advanced vehicle technologies and practices that achieve significant reduction in the overall use of petroleum in the transportation sector. Requires the program to: (1) promote the establishment of vehicle and infrastructure projects that incorporate petroleum reduction technologies, including educational efforts on the benefits and advantages of using alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles; (2) provide training, technical assistance, and tools to end-users that adopt petroleum reduction technologies; (3) collaborate with and train fire officials, emergency first responders, and safety code officials; (4) undertake coordinating efforts between federal, local, and state agencies and the alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle industry; (5) facilitate the development of necessary refueling and service support infrastructure for petroleum reduction technologies; and (6) develop Internet-based tools and resources for the education and training of consumers and program stakeholders. Authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to local and state government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle stakeholders who are working with Clean Cities coalitions to support the deployment and use of alternative fuels and petroleum reduction technologies in on-road vehicles. Directs the Secretary to encourage and support the voluntary formation of local Clean Cities organizations around the country.
Bill· HRH.R. 3437 (111th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009
Smart Housing in Disasters Act of 2009 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to cover as a major disaster any "catastrophic incident" as defined by the Homeland Security Act, namely any natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster that results in extraordinary levels of casualties or damage or disruption severely affecting the population (including mass evacuations), infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, or government functions in an area. Amends the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop, as an annex to the National Disaster Housing Strategy, lifecycle plans and tracking procedures for housing units provided to individuals and households affected by an emergency or major disaster that establishes policies for procurement, delivery, installation, maintenance, deactivation, and disposal of the units. Requires the plan to: (1) emphasize the acquisition of housing units that can be recycled and reused for multiple emergencies or major disasters; and (2) include a process for the Administrator to track each housing unit from its date of acquisition through its date of disposal. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the President to alter any housing unit unsuitable for habitation, before its disposal through sale to a recycler or other purchaser, in a manner that will prevent the unit from being used for habitation.