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201 records in US in 2010
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2010
Open America's Waters Act - Directs the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard to issue regulations to: (1) repeal certain (Jones Act) restrictions on the issuance of a coastwise endorsement for a vessel to engage in the coastwise trade; and (2) require a vessel permitted to engage in the coastwise trade to meet appropriate safety and security requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2010
Water Assistance from International Vessels for Emergency Response Act or WAIVER Act - Waives requirements for coastwise endorsements to a certificate of documentation in order to engage in coastwise trade for foreign vessels engaged in containment, remediation, or associated activities in connection with the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2010
Supports the goals and ideals of Railroad Retirement Day as designated by the Railroad Retirement Board. Recognizes the important contributions that the rail industry, rail workers, and retirees make to the national transportation system. Urges the people of the United States to recognize such a day as an opportunity to celebrate the importance of the railroad retirement system to America's working families.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2010
Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2010 - Establishes within the Department of Energy (DOE) a national plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment program. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to: (1) provide, upon local request, technical assistance to state, local, and tribal governments with the deployment of plug-in electric drive vehicles; (2) make available to the public information regarding the cost, performance, usage data, and technical data regarding plug-in electric drive vehicles and associated infrastructure; (3) carry out a national assessment and develop a national plan for plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment; and (4) award grants to state, local, and tribal governments to assist them in preparing a community deployment plan, and in preparing and implementing programs that support the such deployment. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and publish model building codes for the inclusion of separate circuits for charging infrastructure in new construction and major renovations of private residences, buildings, or other structures; and (2) award grants to institutions to provide training and education for vocational workforce development to ensure skills needed to work on and maintain plug-in electric drive vehicles and the infrastructure required to support them. Directs the Federal Energy Management Program and the General Services Administration to assess and report to Congress on federal government fleets with respect to conversion to plug-in electric drive vehicles. Instructs the Administrator of General Services to acquire plug-in electric drive vehicles and the requisite charging infrastructure to be deployed in a range of locations in the federal fleet during a five-year period. Establishes within the national deployment program a targeted plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment communities program. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to fund research and development in advanced batteries, plug-in electric drive vehicle components, plug-in electric drive infrastructure, and related technologies; (2) implement a study on recycling of materials from plug-in electric drive vehicles and their batteries; and (3) establish the Advanced Batteries for Tomorrow Prize for a 500-mile vehicle battery. Establishes in the Treasury the 500-mile Battery Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to Congress on: (1) the raw materials needed for the manufacture of components for plug-in electric drive vehicles; and (2) the infrastructure needed to support such vehicles. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require each electric utility to develop a plan to support the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles in its service area. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct the Secretary of Energy to guarantee loans to eligible entities for the aggregate purchase of not fewer than 200 qualified automotive batteries (designed for use in qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles but purchased for nonautomotive applications) in a calendar year with a total minimum power rating of one megawatt and advanced battery technology. Establishes the Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Technical Advisory Committee. Directs the President to establish the Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Interagency Task Force.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2010
Water Assistance from International Vessels for Emergency Response Act - Waives requirements for coastwise endorsements to a certificate of documentation in order to engage in coastwise trade for foreign vessels engaged in containment, remediation, or associated activities in connection with the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2010
Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010 - Establishes in the Executive Office of the President an Office of Cyberspace Policy, which shall: (1) develop a national strategy to increase the security and resiliency of cyberspace; (2) oversee, coordinate, and integrate federal policies and activities relating to cyberspace security and resiliency; (3) ensure that all federal agencies comply with appropriate guidelines, policies, and directives from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), other federal agencies with responsibilities relating to cyberspace security or resiliency, and the National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (established by this Act); and (4) ensure that federal agencies have access to, receive, and appropriately disseminate law enforcement, intelligence, terrorism, and any other information relevant to the security of specified federal, military, and intelligence information infrastructure. Requires the President to appoint a Director of Cyberspace Policy. Provides for access by the Director to specified cybersecurity-related information. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to establish within DHS a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (NCCC), which shall be headed by a Director, who shall: (1) work cooperatively with the private sector and lead the federal effort to secure, protect, and ensure the resiliency of the federal and national information infrastructure; and (2) work with the Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection to coordinate the information, communications, and physical infrastructure protection responsibilities and activities of NCCC and the Office of Infrastructure Protection. Transfers to NCCC the National Cyber Security Division, the Office of Emergency Communications, and the National Communications System. Establishes within NCCC the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), which shall: (1) collect, coordinate, and disseminate information on risks to specified federal information infrastructure and security controls; and (2) establish a mechanism for engagement with the private sector. Requires the NCCC Director to: (1) establish a program for sharing information with and between NCCC and other federal agencies; (2) develop guidelines to protect the privacy and civil liberties of U.S. persons and intelligence sources and methods; (3) establish a program to promote and provide technical assistance relating to the implementation of best practices and related standards and guidelines for securing the national information infrastructure; and (4) identify and evaluate the cyber vulnerabilities to covered critical infrastructure on a continuous and sector-by-sector basis and issue regulations establishing risk-based security performance requirements to secure covered critical infrastructure against cyber vulnerabilities. Authorizes the President to issue a declaration of a national cyber emergency to covered critical infrastructure. Requires the President to then notify the owners and operators of the infrastructure of the nature of the emergency, consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods. Requires the NCCC Director to take specified steps, including immediately directing the owners and operators to implement required response plans and to ensure that emergency actions represent the least disruptive means feasible to operations. Terminates such an emergency measure or action 30 days after the President's declaration, with 30-day extensions authorized if the NCCC Director or the President affirms that such measure or action remains necessary to address the continuing emergency. Requires each owner or operator of covered critical infrastructure to certify to the NCCC Director whether the owner or operator has developed and implemented approved security measures and any applicable emergency measures or actions required for any cyber vulnerabilities and national cyber emergencies. Sets forth civil penalties for violations. Requires the DHS Secretary and the private sector to develop, periodically update, and implement a supply chain risk management strategy designed to ensure the security of the federal information infrastructure. Sets forth provisions regarding the information security authority and functions of the NCCC Director and executive agency responsibilities. Requires NCCC to annually oversee, coordinate, and develop guidance for the effective implementation of operational evaluations of the federal information infrastructure and agency information security programs and practices to determine their effectiveness. Authorizes the NCCC Director to order the isolation of any component of the federal information infrastructure if: (1) an agency does not implement measures in an approved risk-based plan; and (2) the failure to comply presents a significant danger to the federal information infrastructure. Establishes in the executive branch a Federal Information Security Taskforce, which shall be the principal interagency forum for collaboration regarding best practices and recommendations for agency information security and the security of the federal information infrastructure. Requires each agency with an Inspector General appointed under the Inspector General Act of 1978 to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the information security program and evaluations. Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the NCCC Director to assess the readiness and capacity of the federal workforce to meet the needs of the cybersecurity mission of the federal government. Requires the OPM Director to develop and implement a comprehensive workforce strategy that enhances the readiness, capacity, training, and recruitment and retention of federal cybersecurity personnel. Requires the head of each federal agency to: (1) develop a strategic cybersecurity workforce plan as part of its performance plan; and (2) measure and collect information on indicators of the effectiveness of the recruitment and hiring of a workforce needed to fulfill the agency's cybersecurity mission. Requires the OPM Director, in coordination with: (1) the NCCC Director, to develop and issue comprehensive occupation classifications for federal employees engaged in cybersecurity missions; and (2) the NCCC Director, the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense (DOD), and the Chief Information Officers Council, to establish a cybersecurity awareness and education curriculum that shall be required for all federal employees and contractors engaged in the design, development, or operation of agency information infrastructure. Amends HSA to direct the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordination with the NCCC Director, to carry out a research and development program for the purpose of improving the security of information infrastructure. Directs the DHS Secretary to establish a National Cybersecurity Advisory Council to advise the NCCC Director.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2010
Deauthorizes a specified portion of the project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington Channel, District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2010
Elects a named minority Member to the House Committees on: (1) Agriculture; (2) Homeland Security; and (3) Transportation and Infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2010
Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2010 - Establishes within the Department of Energy (DOE) a national plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment program. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to: (1) provide, upon local request, technical assistance to state, local, and tribal governments with the deployment of plug-in electric drive vehicles; (2) make available to the public information regarding the cost, performance, usage data, and technical data regarding plug-in electric drive vehicles and associated infrastructure; (3) carry out a national assessment and develop a national plan for plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment; and (4) award grants to state, local, and tribal governments to assist them in preparing a community deployment plan, and in preparing and implementing programs that support the such deployment. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and publish model building codes for the inclusion of separate circuits for charging infrastructure in new construction and major renovations of private residences, buildings, or other structures; and (2) award grants to institutions to provide training and education for vocational workforce development to ensure skills needed to work on and maintain plug-in electric drive vehicles and the infrastructure required to support them. Directs the Federal Energy Management Program and the General Services Administration to assess and report to Congress on federal government fleets with respect to conversion to plug-in electric drive vehicles. Instructs the Administrator of General Services to acquire plug-in electric drive vehicles and the requisite charging infrastructure to be deployed in a range of locations in the federal fleet during a five-year period. Establishes within the national deployment program a targeted plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment communities program. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to fund research and development in advanced batteries, plug-in electric drive vehicle components, plug-in electric drive infrastructure, and related technologies; (2) implement a study on recycling of materials from plug-in electric drive vehicles and their batteries; and (3) establish the Advanced Batteries for Tomorrow Prize for a 500-mile vehicle battery. Establishes in the Treasury the 500-mile Battery Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to Congress on: (1) the raw materials needed for the manufacture of components for plug-in electric drive vehicles; and (2) the infrastructure needed to support such vehicles. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require each electric utility to develop a plan to support the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles in its service area. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct the Secretary of Energy to guarantee loans to eligible entities for the aggregate purchase of not less than 200 qualified automotive batteries in a calendar year with a total minimum power rating of one megawatt and advanced battery technology. Establishes the Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Technical Advisory Committee. Directs the President to establish the Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Interagency Task Force.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2010
Rural Mobility and Access for America Act - Requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program for the allocation of federal funds for surface transportation program projects in rural states. Defines "rural state" as any of the 50 states that: (1) has a population density of 45 or fewer individuals per square mile of land area; or (2) does not include an urbanized area with a population of more than 500,000 individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2010
Motor Carrier Protection Act of 2010 - Requires each freight forwarder or freight broker registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to: (1) pay an annual registration renewal fee in an amount determined by the Secretary of Transportation (DOT); (2) provide updated registration information; and (3) submit proof of compliance with applicable surety and insurance requirements. Requires noncompliant brokers, freight forwarders, or motor carriers to be listed as inactive on all relevant DOT websites. Requires the FMCSA Administrator to issue a distinctive registration number for each activity or service of a person (including motor carrier, freight forwarder, or broker) registered to provide one or more such activities or services. Requires a registrant to specify, in writing, the authority under which it is providing required services for each shipment for which it seeks compensation. Revises federal motor carrier registration requirements to prohibit a motor carrier from brokering transportation services unless registered as a broker. Requires registered motor carriers to maintain insurance for property damage when transporting property. Revises and consolidates federal registration and security requirements for freight forwarders and brokers. Prohibits a person from acting as a freight forwarder or broker unless that person: (1) holds a freight forwarder's permit or broker's license issued by the FMCSA; and (2) furnishes a bond or other surety from a provider determined by the FMCSA Administrator to be adequate to insure financial responsibility of at least $100,000. Prohibits a person acting as a broker (other than a non-vessel-operating common carrier), or an ocean freight forwarder providing brokerage as part of an international through movement involving ocean transportation between the United States and a foreign port, from providing interstate brokerage services unless that person: (1) is registered under and in compliance with this Act; and (2) has satisfied financial security requirements. Prescribes civil penalties for violators of such requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2010
Recognizes the 60th anniversary of Associated Builders and Contractors. Encourages Associated Builders and Contractors to continue its 60-year commitment to representing the merit shop construction industry.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2010
Remuneration for Ecological and Societal Tolls Occasioned by Reckless Errors Act or RESTORE Act - Repeals specified general limitations on liability (the Limitation of Liability Act) for personal injury or death, or loss or damage to merchandise due to fire, on seagoing vessels.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2010
National Emergency Centers Establishment Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish at least six national emergency centers on military installations to use existing infrastructure to provide: (1) temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian assistance to individuals and families dislocated due to an emergency or major disaster; and (2) centralized locations for the training of first responders and the coordination of preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Requires the Secretary to designate: (1) 2 military installations as sites for the establishment of the centers within 60 days of this Act's enactment; and (2) not fewer than 4 more within 18 months of enactment. Lists minimum requirements for sites for such centers, including that they be capable of: (1) meeting for an extended period the housing, health, transportation, education, public works, humanitarian, and other transition needs of a large number of individuals affected; (2) being scaled up or down to accommodate major disaster preparedness and response drills, operations, and procedures; (3) housing existing permanent structures necessary to meet training and first responders coordination requirements during non-disaster periods; and (4) hosting the infrastructure necessary to rapidly adjust to temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian assistance needs. Sets forth center location requirements, including requiring the Secretary to give preference to military installations designated as Regional Joint Readiness Centers and to closed or materially affected military installations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2010
Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010 - Establishes in the Executive Office of the President an Office of Cyberspace Policy, which shall: (1) develop a national strategy to increase the security and resiliency of cyberspace; (2) oversee, coordinate, and integrate federal policies and activities relating to cyberspace security and resiliency; (3) ensure that all federal agencies comply with appropriate guidelines, policies, and directives from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), other federal agencies with responsibilities relating to cyberspace security or resiliency, and the National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (established by this Act); and (4) ensure that federal agencies have access to, receive, and appropriately disseminate law enforcement, intelligence, terrorism, and any other information relevant to the security of specified federal, military, and intelligence information infrastructure. Requires the President to appoint a Director of Cyberspace Policy. Provides for access by the Director to specified cybersecurity-related information. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to establish within DHS a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (NCCC), which shall be headed by a Director, who shall: (1) work cooperatively with the private sector and lead the federal effort to secure, protect, and ensure the resiliency of the federal and national information infrastructure; and (2) work with the Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection to coordinate the information, communications, and physical infrastructure protection responsibilities and activities of NCCC and the Office of Infrastructure Protection. Transfers to NCCC the National Cyber Security Division, the Office of Emergency Communications, and the National Communications System. Establishes within NCCC the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), which shall: (1) collect, coordinate, and disseminate information on risks to specified federal information infrastructure and security controls; and (2) establish a mechanism for engagement with the private sector. Requires the NCCC Director to: (1) establish a program for sharing information with and between NCCC and other federal agencies; (2) develop guidelines to protect the privacy and civil liberties of U.S. persons and intelligence sources and methods; (3) establish a program to promote and provide technical assistance relating to the implementation of best practices and related standards and guidelines for securing the national information infrastructure; and (4) identify and evaluate the cyber vulnerabilities to covered critical infrastructure on a continuous and sector-by-sector basis and issue regulations establishing risk-based security performance requirements to secure covered critical infrastructure against cyber vulnerabilities. Authorizes the President to issue a declaration of a national cyber emergency to covered critical infrastructure. Requires the President to then notify the owners and operators of the infrastructure of the nature of the emergency, consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods. Requires the NCCC Director to take specified steps, including immediately directing the owners and operators to implement required response plans and to ensure that emergency actions represent the least disruptive means feasible to operations. Terminates such an emergency measure or action 30 days after the President's declaration, with 30-day extensions authorized if the NCCC Director or the President affirms that such measure or action remains necessary to address the continuing emergency. Requires each owner or operator of covered critical infrastructure to certify to the NCCC Director whether the owner or operator has developed and implemented approved security measures and any applicable emergency measures or actions required for any cyber vulnerabilities and national cyber emergencies. Sets forth civil penalties for violations. Requires the DHS Secretary and the private sector to develop, periodically update, and implement a supply chain risk management strategy designed to ensure the security of the federal information infrastructure. Sets forth provisions regarding the information security authority and functions of the NCCC Director and executive agency responsibilities. Requires NCCC to annually oversee, coordinate, and develop guidance for the effective implementation of operational evaluations of the federal information infrastructure and agency information security programs and practices to determine their effectiveness. Authorizes the NCCC Director to order the isolation of any component of the federal information infrastructure if: (1) an agency does not implement measures in an approved risk-based plan; and (2) the failure to comply presents a significant danger to the federal information infrastructure. Establishes in the executive branch a Federal Information Security Taskforce, which shall be the principal interagency forum for collaboration regarding best practices and recommendations for agency information security and the security of the federal information infrastructure. Requires each agency with an Inspector General appointed under the Inspector General Act of 1978 to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the information security program and evaluations. Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the NCCC Director to assess the readiness and capacity of the federal workforce to meet the needs of the cybersecurity mission of the federal government. Requires the OPM Director to develop and implement a comprehensive workforce strategy that enhances the readiness, capacity, training, and recruitment and retention of federal cybersecurity personnel. Requires the head of each federal agency to: (1) develop a strategic cybersecurity workforce plan as part of its performance plan; and (2) measure and collect information on indicators of the effectiveness of the recruitment and hiring of a workforce needed to fulfill the agency's cybersecurity mission. Requires the OPM Director, in coordination with: (1) the NCCC Director, to develop and issue comprehensive occupation classifications for federal employees engaged in cybersecurity missions; and (2) the NCCC Director, the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense (DOD), and the Chief Information Officers Council, to establish a cybersecurity awareness and education curriculum that shall be required for all federal employees and contractors engaged in the design, development, or operation of agency information infrastructure. Amends HSA to direct the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordination with the NCCC Director, to carry out a research and development program for the purpose of improving the security of information infrastructure. Directs the DHS Secretary to establish a National Cybersecurity Advisory Council to advise the NCCC Director.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2010
Securing Protections for the Injured from Limitations on Liability Act - Amends the Death on the High Seas Act to permit a decedent's spouse, parent, child, or dependent relative (the decedent's personal representative under current law) to bring a civil action in admiralty or law (limited to admiralty under current law) against the person or vessel responsible for the decedent's death when the death was caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default occurring on the high seas beyond 12 nautical miles (3 nautical miles under current law) from the shore of the United States. Allows recovery in such an action for fair compensation for nonpecuniary loss (limited to pecuniary loss under current law), plus a fair compensation for the decedent's pain and suffering. Defines "nonpecuniary loss" as loss of care, comfort, and companionship. Allows substitution of the decedent's spouse, parent, child, or dependent relative (personal representative under current law) as a plaintiff in an action for personal injury caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default under the Act, if the plaintiff dies during the action as a result of the wrongful act. Amends the Jones Act to allow recovery for the loss of the care, comfort, and companionship of a seaman who died in the course of employment Repeals specified general limitations on a shipowner's liability (the Limitation of Liability Act) for personal injury or death on seagoing vessels. Amends the federal judicial code with respect to the right to remove class actions and mass actions to federal court (the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005) to deny such right with respect to any action brought by a state or a state subdivision in its own state court on behalf of its citizens. Declares void and unenforceable any agreement, promise, or directive to restrict the dissemination of information (except by a government agency to protect public health or safety) regarding the cause, nature, or extent of, or damage caused by, or efforts to remediate any discharge into waters off the U.S. shore of a substance that contaminates a marine or coastal environment or endangers public health. Amends the bankruptcy code to prohibit a trustee in bankruptcy from selling or leasing, except in the ordinary course of business, any property of the estate of a debtor that is liable for a claim arising from an incident under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, to a purchaser (together with any affiliate) in an aggregate dollar amount exceeding a specified amount under the Clayton Act unless: (1) the purchaser (and affiliate) agree as a condition of the sale to pay the amount of allowed unsecured claims arising from the incident not paid by the debtor; or (2) all classes of unsecured claims approve the sale of such assets.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2010
Survivors Equality Act of 2010 - Revises the amount and apportionment of recovery by the personal representative of a decedent who brings a civil action in admiralty against the person or vessel responsible for the decedent's death when the death was caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default occurring on the high seas beyond three nautical miles from the U.S. shore. Allows recovery of a fair compensation for nonpecuniary loss (as well as pecuniary loss, as under current law), plus damages for the decedent's pre-death pain and suffering. Defines "nonpecuniary loss" as loss of care, comfort, and companionship.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2010
Service Members Permanent Change of Station Relief Act - Sets at the business standard mileage rate of the Internal Revenue Service the monetary allowance for a member of the Armed Forces for travel by privately owned vehicles in lieu of government transportation in the case of: (1) a change of permanent station; (2) travel to the first station upon call to active duty; and (3) travel from a last duty station upon separation from service. Sets the monetary allowance for authorized travel by a member's dependent at the rate per mile established by the Administrator of General Services instead of the actual expenses for such transportation. Revises requirements allowing the transport at government expense of one motor vehicle owned or leased by a member (or member's dependent) to the new station of the member who has been ordered to make a change of permanent station. Authorizes the transport at government expense of one additional motor vehicle of a member (or member's dependent) if: (1) the member is ordered to make a change of permanent station to or from a nonforeign area outside the continental United States and the member has at least one dependent of driving age who will use the motor vehicle; or (2) the Secretary of the military department concerned determines that a replacement for the transported motor vehicle is necessary for reasons beyond the member's control and is in the interest of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Clean Energy Infrastructure for Rural Communities Act of 2010 - Amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make electric loans for transmission facilities primarily for interconnecting renewable energy facilities to a high-voltage transmission line. Revokes the requirement that the rate of an electric loan for renewable energy be equal to the average tax-exempt municipal bond rate of similar maturities. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to: (1) authorize the Secretary to make and insure loans to improve the economic and environmental climate by encouraging the development and construction of infrastructure to provide access to natural gas in rural communities; and (2) define "natural gas" as unmixed natural gas or any mixture of natural and artificial gas.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Electric Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010 - Establishes within the Department of Energy (DOE) a national electric drive vehicle deployment program. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to: (1) develop a national plan for electric drive vehicle deployment; and (2) provide, upon local request, technical assistance to communities with the deployment of plug-in electric drive vehicles. Establishes a targeted plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment communities program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the income tax credit for each new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle placed in service during the taxable year. Allows a refundable personal credit for a qualified deployment community taxpayer. Extends the credit for modification of new qualified hybrid motor vehicles. Revises requirements for the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit. Allows a tax credit for qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle refueling property bonds. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize the Secretary to make loan guarantees for certain charging infrastructure and networks of charging infrastructure for plug-in drive electric vehicles. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require each electric utility to develop a plan to support the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles in its service area. Declares electricity consumed by federal agencies to fuel plug-in electric drive vehicles an alternative fuel subject to federal fleet management reporting requirements. Directs the Administrator of General Services to acquire plug-in electric drive vehicles and the requisite charging infrastructure for deployment in the federal fleet. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) an Advanced Batteries for Tomorrow Prize to advance the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of a 500-mile vehicle battery; and (2) a program to fund research and development in advanced batteries, electric drive vehicle components, electric drive infrastructure, and other related technologies. Establishes in the Treasury the 500-mile Battery Fund. Directs the Secretary to: (1) implement a research, development, and demonstration program pertaining to the secondary uses of vehicle batteries; (2) provide grants for development of a secondary market for batteries; and (3) study the recycling of materials from plug-in electric drive vehicles and their batteries. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to Congress on the supply of raw materials needed to manufacture such vehicles, batteries, and other related components, as well as the infrastructure needed to support them. Establishes a Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Technical Advisory Committee. Directs the President to establish a Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Interagency Task Force. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct the Secretary to guarantee loans to eligible entities for the aggregate purchase of at least 200 qualified automotive batteries in a calendar year with a total minimum power rating of 1 megawatt and advanced battery technology. Directs the Secretary to develop and publish: (1) model building codes for the inclusion of charging infrastructure in new construction and major renovations of private residences, buildings, or other structures; and (2) related model construction permitting or inspection processes, as well as model zoning, parking rules, or other local ordinances. Directs the Secretary to award grants to educational institutions and qualified training programs for vocational workforce development, through centers of excellence, of skills needed to maintain plug-in electric drive vehicles and associated infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Municipal Fleet Modernization Act of 2010 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update and publish annually in the Federal Register a list of vehicles that satisfy requirements for certification as low emission and energy-efficient vehicles and so may be allowed by states to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane highways.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2010
Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to establish a a two-phased competitive program to provide financial assistance to states, Indian tribes, or local governments (or groups thereof) for the deployment of electric drive vehicles in five selected deployment communities. Requires each recipient of financial assistance for a deployment community to provide a minimum of $2,000 in benefits to each of the first 100,000 consumers who purchase electric drive vehicles. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase and extend through December 31, 2016, the tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures for vehicles powered by electricity; and (2) allow a tax credit for qualified electric vehicle refueling property bonds. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to establish standards for electric utilities regarding electric drive vehicle infrastructure. Directs each state regulatory authority (in the case of each electric utility for which it has ratemaking authority) and each utility (in the case of a nonregulated utility) to: (1) require that infrastructure deployed complies with federal standards and is interoperable with products of all manufacturers; (2) establish protocols and standards for integrating electric drive vehicles into an electrical distribution system; (3) provide for the ability of each vehicle to be identified individually and to be associated with its owner's electric utility account; and (4) review their determinations on time-based metering and communications. Requires the Secretary to: (1) study and report to Congress on secondary use applications of electric drive vehicle batteries; and (2) establish a competitively awarded, peer reviewed grant program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of advanced batteries with vehicle applications, qualified electric drive vehicle components, and qualified electric drive infrastructure. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to Congress on the identity of raw materials needed for the manufacture of such vehicles, components, and infrastructure. Requires the Administrator of General Services to acquire 1,000 electric drive vehicles for the federal fleet. Directs the Secretary to carry out a loan program for eligible individuals and entities for the costs of: (1) reequipping, expanding, or establishing a manufacturing facility in the United States to produce qualified electric drive infrastructure or qualified electric drive vehicle components; and (2) engineering integration performed in the United States of qualified electric drive vehicle components. Earmarks 25% of such loans for small manufacturers (less than 500 individuals) and component suppliers. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the Secretary to establish program to provide loan guarantees to eligible entities by private institutions for the purchase of at least 500 qualified advanced automotive batteries a year.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2010
National DWI Victims Memorial Designation Act of 2010 - Designates the Memorial of Perpetual Tears, located adjacent to Interstate 40 in Moriarity, New Mexico, as the National DWI Victims Memorial.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2010
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 - Authorizes, ratifies, and confirms the Pechanga Settlement Agreement. Ratifies, confirms, and declares valid the Tribal Water Right which shall be held in trust by the United States for the use and benefit of the Band and allottees. States that the Band shall: (1) have authority to use, allocate, and lease the Tribal Water Right; and (2) enact a Pechanga Water Code. Authorizes the execution of waivers of claims by the Band and the United States with respect to Santa Margarita River Watershed water rights and with respect subsidence damage to lands within the Reservation. Directs the Secretary to provide specified funds: (1) to fulfill the Band's obligations under the Recycled Water Infrastructure Agreement and the ESAA Capacity Agreement; (2) for the Storage Pond and the Demineralization and Brine Disposal Project; (3) to fulfill the Band's obligations under the Recycled Water Infrastructure Agreement for the Storage Pond's design and construction; and (4) for Interim Capacity and Permanent Capacity. Establishes in the Treasury the Pechanga Settlement Fund. Repeals this Act and voids any related agreements effective January 1, 2016, if the Secretary does not publish a statement of findings required under this Act by December 31, 2015. Returns any appropriations and unobligated amounts to the general fund of the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2010
National DWI Victims Memorial Designation Act of 2010 - Designates the Memorial of Perpetual Tears, located adjacent to Interstate 40 in Moriarity, New Mexico, as the National DWI Victims Memorial.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2010
Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010 - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make emergency grants to states and designated recipients (urbanized areas) for the operating costs of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation projects. Prescribes a formula for the apportionment of grant funds. Requires amounts apportioned to a state or urbanized area, with a specified exception, to be used for operating expenses necessary to restore or prevent a reduction in public transportation service and related workforce reductions, or to rescind all or a portion of a fare increase, that: (1) occurs between January 1, 2009, and September 30, 2011; and (2) is due to decreased state or local funding or farebox revenue. Authorizes a recipient which certifies that it has not had a major reduction in public transportation service, or a fare increase as a result of decreased state or local operating funding, and will be able to avoid such reductions or increases through FY2011 without the funds made available by this Act, to use such funds to replace, rehabilitate, or repair existing transit capital assets used in public transportation. Sets the amount of a grant, at the option of the recipient, at up to 100% of the net cost of a project.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2010
Expresses the gratitude of the House of Representatives for the contributions that U.S. air traffic controllers make to keep the traveling public safe and U.S. airspace running efficiently. Commends them for the calm and professional manner in which they handle air traffic all year long. Acknowledges their heroic actions, dedication, and quick and skilled decisionmaking to help avert many accidents and tragedies. Encourages greater investment in the modernization of the air traffic control system so that they have the resources and technology to better carry out their mission.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2010
Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010 - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make emergency grants to states and designated recipients (urbanized areas) for the operating costs of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation projects. Prescribes a formula for the apportionment of grant funds. Requires amounts apportioned to a state or urbanized area, with a specified exception, to be used for operating expenses necessary to restore or prevent a reduction in public transportation service and related workforce reductions, or to rescind all or a portion of a fare increase, that: (1) occurs between January 1, 2009, and September 30, 2011; and (2) is due to decreased state or local funding or farebox revenue. Authorizes a recipient which certifies that it has not had a major reduction in public transportation service, or a fare increase as a result of decreased state or local operating funding, and will be able to avoid such reductions or increases through FY2011 without the funds made available by this Act, to use such funds to replace, rehabilitate, or repair existing transit capital assets used in public transportation. Sets the amount of a grant, at the option of the recipient, at up to 100% of the net cost of a project.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2010
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), acting through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to establish within NHTSA: (1) a Center for Vehicle Electronics and Emerging Technologies to build, integrate, and aggregate NHTSA's expertise in vehicle electronics and other new and emerging technologies; and (2) an honors recruitment program for engineering students and other students interested in vehicle safety to train with engineers and other safety officials for careers in vehicle safety. Requires the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking to prescribe or amend federal motor vehicle safety standards to: (1) mitigate unintended acceleration in passenger motor vehicles (excluding motorcycles, trailers, or low speed vehicles) through a brake override system; (2) require that at least one redundant mechanism be built into accelerator control systems, including electronic throttle control systems, to maintain vehicle control in the event of accelerator control system failures; (3) prevent potential obstruction of pedal movement by establishing minimum clearances for passenger motor vehicle foot pedals; (4) require electronic systems in passenger motor vehicles to meet minimum performance standards; (5) establish standards for the operation of passenger motor vehicles equipped with push-button ignition systems, particularly in emergency situations when the vehicle is in motion; and (6) improve the recognition of the gear selector positions for drivers, including the conspicuity of the neutral position. Directs the Secretary to modify federal motor vehicle safety standards to require passenger motor vehicles sold in the United States to be equipped with an event data recorder (EDR) that continuously records vehicle operational data that can be stored and accessed for retrieval and analysis. Requires the Secretary to issue regulations to require the public disclosure of possible defects of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment reported to the Secretary by motor vehicle manufacturers (Early Warning data). Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve public accessibility to information on the NHTSA vehicle safety databases; (2) issue regulations to require passenger motor vehicle manufacturers to affix, in the vehicle glove compartment or another readily accessible location, a sticker, decal, or other device that provides information on how to submit a safety-related motor vehicle defect complaint to NHTSA; and (3) establish a NHTSA passenger automobile safety defect hotline for manufacturer, dealer, and mechanic personnel. Directs the Secretary to require the senior official for safety for a corporation to be responsible for requests for information in NHTSA safety or compliance investigations. Prescribes civil penalties for persons who knowingly and willfully submit false, misleading, or incomplete information. Requires the DOT Office of the Inspector General to study over nine years NHTSA use of Early Warning data. Establishes the Vehicle Safety Fund to meet U.S. obligations in carrying out NHTSA vehicle safety programs. Requires the Secretary to assess and collect, for deposit in the Fund, a vehicle safety user fee from the manufacturer for each motor vehicle certified compliant with applicable motor vehicle safety standards. Increases civil penalties for persons who violate federal motor vehicle safety requirements. Requires the Secretary to: (1) notify manufacturers of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment whose defect or noncompliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards presents a substantial likelihood of death or serious injury to the public; and (2) expedite proceedings for a decision and issuance of an imminent hazard order. Directs the Secretary to issue procedures for the issuance and enforcement of such orders.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2010
Baggage Fee Fairness Act of 2010 - Requires air carriers to refund passenger baggage fees within 30 days after the arrival of any passenger flight in which a piece of baggage is lost, delayed, or damaged. Makes it an unfair or deceptive practice for a domestic air carrier, foreign air carrier, or ticket agent to sell a ticket for air transportation but fail, before sale of the ticket, to: (1) ask the ticket purchaser if he or she has one or more pieces of baggage to check; and (2) inform him or her of the cost of checking each piece of baggage.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2010
Directs Amtrak to discontinue passenger rail service on any long distance route that operates at a loss (where the total direct service costs are more than twice as great as total revenues for the first full fiscal year after enactment of this Act).
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2010
Consumer Auto Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to promulgate a rule that: (1) requires each motor vehicle manufacturer to equip each motor vehicle manufactured in model year 2012 or later with an event data recorder (EDR) that meets certain specifications; and (2) establishes a universal data retrieval method by which recorded data in an EDR may be retrieved and put into readable form regardless of manufacturer or model of the motor vehicle. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a process by which an individual or entity may transmit EDR data to the Secretary; and (2) create an EDR database for research and analysis. Directs the Secretary to promulgate a rule that requires each motor vehicle manufacturer to ensure that the data recorded by an EDR in a motor vehicle manufactured before model year 2012 is capable of being read by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Prohibits the retrieval of data stored in an EDR by any person other than the owner or lessee of the motor vehicle in which such device is installed, unless: (1) a court authorizes it, the owner or lessee consents, or the data is retrieved by a government motor vehicle safety agency; and (2) neither the personally identifiable information of the vehicle owner, lessee,or occupant nor the vehicle identification number (VIN) is publicly disclosed in connection with the data.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2010
Airport Security Act of 2010 - Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration [TSA]) to establish a program to prohibit all but specified authorized individuals from possessing a firearm at a covered airport, including any individual who enters the airport, or exits public transportation at it, for air travel, meeting another individual, picking up cargo, or employment. Directs the Assistant Secretary to require airport operators to: (1) display conspicuous notices summarizing the program at each airport entrance; and (2) require law enforcement personnel to monitor the airport to prevent violations and escort air travelers who are authorized to carry a firearm. Prescribes criminal penalties for nonauthorized individuals who knowingly possess a firearm at a covered airport.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2010
Modifies the project for navigation and environmental restoration, Houston-Galveston Navigation Channels, Texas, to authorize the Secretary of the Army to extend the boundaries of the Galveston channel approximately 2600 feet beyond Pier 38, if deemed feasible.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2010
Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2010 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize and increase funding for the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF) for FY2011-FY2015. Revises provisions concerning technical assistance given to small public water systems to help them achieve and maintain compliance with national primary drinking water regulations, including by: (1) authorizing assistance for operating sustainable energy infrastructure and for water security enhancements; and (2) giving priority to applicants that will promote compliance with such regulations, public health protection, and long term sustainability of small public water systems. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that laborers and mechanics employed by a contractor of a construction project funded thorough the SRF are paid prevailing wages as determined under the Davis-Bacon Act. Revises provisions concerning state intended use plans for SRF funds, including by requiring plans to give priority for the use of such funds to public water systems affected by a new national primary drinking water standard and serving disadvantaged communities. Authorizes the Administrator to provide guidance, tools, methodologies, or computer software to assist small systems in undertaking measures to improve the system's management, financial stability, and efficiency or to reduce the system's environmental impact. Requires the Administrator, if no technology, treatment technique, or other affordable means to achieve compliance with a maximum contaminant level established by a drinking water regulation is listed for a category of small public water systems, to periodically review the list and supplement it when new technology becomes available. Revokes provisions concerning granting variances for compliance with a drinking water regulation requirement specifying a maximum contaminant level or treatment technique. Provides that prohibitions on the use of lead pipes, solder, and flux do not apply to pipes, pipe and plumbing fittings, and fixtures (pipes) that are used exclusively for nonpotable services. Revises the definition of "lead free" to mean not containing more than 0.2% lead when used with respect to solder and flux and no more than a weighted average of 0.25% when used with respect to the wetted surfaces of pipes. Requires the Administrator, in carrying out the Estrogenic Substances Screening Program: (1) not later than one year after enactment of the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Enhancement Act of 2010, to publish a list of at least 100 substances for testing of endocrine disrupting substances that may be in drinking water and a plan for the identification of additional substances for testing with the goal of testing all substances that have been placed on the Drinking Water Preliminary Contaminant Candidate List; (2) to give priority in selecting substances for listing to substances that pose the greatest public health concern; (3) not later than two years after enactment of such Act, to publish guidance on developing and updating protocols for testing of possible endocrine disruptors; (4) within four years after enactment of such Act, to issue test orders for all substances on the list; (5) not later than 180 days after enactment of such Act, to publish an electronic, publicly searchable database that contains information regarding the testing program; and (6) within six months after receipt of testing results, to determine whether to take administrative action related to the substance. Authorizes the Administrator to accelerate testing for a substance if: (1) such substance is known to be found in sources of drinking water; (2) a substantial population is known to be exposed to the substance; and (3) the substance is either suspected to be an endocrine disruptor or has a structural similarity to a substance known to be an endocrine disruptor. Authorizes any person to petition the Administrator to add a substance to the list or the plan and to issue an order requiring the substance be tested on an accelerated basis.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2010
Recognizes the contributions the freight rail industry has made to the national transportation system. Supports the industry's efforts to continue improving safety as our nation moves forward to develop its infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2010
Firearm-Free Airport Act - Makes it unlawful for all but specified authorized individuals to possess a firearm at a commercial airport in any area in a terminal building, in any area adjacent to the sterile area, in an airfield, or in any building that opens on to an airfield. Prescribes criminal penalties for nonauthorized individuals who violate such prohibition. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that signs warning passengers of such prohibition are posted in airport terminal buildings and other such areas.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2010
Directs the Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a Veterans' Curation Program to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with its curation and historic preservation activities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2010
Big Oil Polluter Pays Act - Declares that, in any civil action for damages arising out of a maritime tort case, punitive damages may be assessed without regard to the amount of compensatory damages assessed in the action. (Thus, removes the cap ratio of 1:1 on punitive-to-compensatory damages established in the Exxon Shipping Co. v Baker case for the award of punitive damages.)
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2010
Increases from $5,000 to $20,000 per violation the maximum civil penalty for persons who violate federal motor vehicle safety requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2010
Supports the goals and ideals of National Train Day.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2010
Executive Cyberspace Authorities Act of 2010 - Establishes within the Executive Office of the President the National Cyberspace Office, headed by a Director, to coordinate issues relating to achieving an assured, reliable, secure, and survivable information infrastructure and related capabilities of the federal government. Outlines Director duties, including overseeing executive agency information security policies and practices. Requires the inclusion of the Director on the National Security Council. Requires annual Director approval of that part of agency budgets relating to the protection of information technology. Makes the authorities of the Director inapplicable to national security systems. Requires delegation of Director authority, to the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), respectively, of those systems of DOD and the CIA that process information the unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of which would have a debilitating effect on either agency's mission.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2010
Safe Highway Markings Act of 2010 - Prescribes minimum standards for engineered glass beads used in reflective markings, limiting the arsenic content to 200 parts per million. Requires states that receive certain federal-aid highway funds to ensure that any new application of reflective markings on or along federal-aid highway roads or highways be made from a binder that has been mixed, in whole or in part, with engineered glass beads. Requires the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), to withhold up to 5% of the apportionment of funds for any state that does not comply with such standards.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2010
Aerotropolis Act of 2010 - Amends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to extend the eligibility for projects of national and regional significance under the surface transportation grant program to certain aerotropolis transportation system projects. Defines "aerotropolis transportation system" as a planned and coordinated multimodal freight and passenger transportation network that provides efficient, sustainable, and intermodal connectivity to a defined region of economic significance centered around a major airport.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2010
Elects named Majority Members to the House Committees on: (1) Agriculture; (2) Appropriations; (3) Armed Services; (4) Foreign Affairs; (5) Homeland Security; (6) the Judiciary; (7) Natural Resources; (8) Science and Technology; and (9) Transportation and Infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2010
Healthy Communities through Helping to Offer Incentives and Choices to Everyone in Society Act of 2010 - Revises federal health law to address obesity, including through: (1) routine collection of data needed to calculate body mass index (BMI); (2) expansion of coverage for obesity under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP); (3) programs to promote healthy eating behaviors and physical activity; and (4) training of health care professionals on how to treat and prevent obesity and aid individuals who are obese or overweight. Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to expand the nutritional requirements of food offered through child and adult food programs. Includes a physical activity component for children's food programs. Sets forth provisions to expand physical activity through: (1) programs to connect children and families with the outdoors; (2) guidelines for physical education in elementary and secondary schools; (3) inclusion of physical education as a core academic subject in schools; (4) tax incentives for employer provided membership to athletic or fitness facilities; and (5) enrichment programs, such as summer camps, for children on Indian reservations and tribal lands. Sets forth provisions to improve knowledge of and access to healthy foods through: (1) educating consumers about physical activity and lifestyles; (2) infrastructure improvements to food programs; (3) expansion of retail food stores offering affordable, nutritious foods in underserved communities; and (4) expansion of urban community gardens. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to make grants to assist local planning decisions and policies that increase the access of individuals to physical activity. Expands the program to provide safe routes to schools to include high school students. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the National Center for Health Statistics, to provide for the: (1) collection of data for determining the fitness levels and energy expenditures of children and youth; and (2) analysis of data collected as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and other data sources.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2010
TWIC Delivery Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to deliver biometric transportation security cards by U.S. mail to individuals who reside in a location where the nearest transportation security card enrollment center is not accessible by a state or federal road or is more than 100 miles away.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2010
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to establish within NHTSA: (1) a Center for Vehicle Electronics, Vehicle Software, and Emerging Technologies to build, integrate, and aggregate NHTSA's expertise in vehicle electronics and other new and emerging technologies; and (2) an honors recruitment program for engineering students, computer science students, and other students interested in vehicle safety to train with engineers and other safety officials for careers in vehicle safety. Requires the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking to prescribe a federal motor vehicle safety standard to: (1) prevent unintended acceleration in passenger motor vehicles (excluding motorcycles or trailers) through a brake override system; (2) prevent potential obstruction of pedal movement by establishing minimum clearances for passenger motor vehicle foot pedals; (3) require electronic systems in passenger motor vehicles to meet minimum performance standards; (4) establish standards for the operation of passenger motor vehicles with keyless or push-button ignition systems, particularly in bringing a vehicle under control during an emergency situation; and (5) require an intuitive configuration and labeling of gear shifting controls for drivers. Directs the Secretary to require all passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with an event data recorder (EDR) that meets certain federal motor vehicle safety standards. Increases civil penalties for persons who violate federal motor vehicle safety requirements. Requires the Secretary to notify manufacturers of motor vehicles or related equipment whose noncompliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards or defect presents an imminent hazard to public safety that may result in death or serious bodily harm. Authorizes the Secretary, in such instances, to issue an imminent hazard order to the manufacturer, dealer, and distributor to: (1) stop further production, sale, lease, distribution, or importation into the United States of the item; and (2) notify purchasers of the imminent safety hazard. Requires the Secretary to issue regulations to require public disclosure of possible defects of motor vehicles or related equipment reported to the Secretary by motor vehicle manufacturers (Early Warning data). Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve public accessibility to information on the NHTSA vehicle safety databases; (2) issue regulations to require passenger motor vehicle manufacturers to affix, in a readily accessible location, a device that provides information on how to submit a safety-related motor vehicle defect complaint to NHTSA; and (3) establish a NHTSA passenger vehicle safety defect hotline for manufacturer, dealer, and mechanic personnel. Requires certain motor vehicle manufacturer communications to include all notices to dealerships of software upgrades and recommended vehicle modifications. Establishes whistleblower protections for motor vehicle manufacturer, part supplier, and dealership employees. Directs the Secretary to require the principal executive officer of a corporation to be responsible for requests for information in NHTSA safety or compliance investigations. Prescribes both civil and criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully submitting false, misleading, or incomplete information. Prohibits a motor vehicle manufacturer or other person who is subject to federal motor vehicle safety regulation from employing NHTSA employees for the 36-month period following the employee's termination of employment with NHTSA. Prescribes civil penalties for violations of such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2010
Designates July 9, 2010, as Collector Car Appreciation Day.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2010
Electronic Check Parity Act of 2010 - Finds electronic debit transactions serve as a functional replacement for check transactions. Grants the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System authority to promulgate rules regarding any interchange transaction fee charged with respect to an electronic debit transaction. Permits the Board to exempt from such rules any financial institutions, including those regulated by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), that, together with affiliates, have assets of less than $1 billion. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a credit card network from inhibiting the ability of any person to: (1) set a minimum or maximum dollar value for such person's acceptance of any form of payment; or (2) offer a discount, benefit, or anything else of value to customers in order to create an incentive for them to pay such person using a form of payment that carries lower transaction fees or costs (limitation on credit card network restrictions). Defines "credit card network"' as an entity that directly, or through licensed members, processors, or agents, provides the proprietary services, infrastructure, and software that route information and data to facilitate transaction authorization, clearance, and settlement that a person must access in order to accept a specific brand of general-purpose credit card as payment for goods or services.