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Bill· HRH.R. 2834 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 2 September 2011
Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act - Requires federal public land management officials, in cooperation with the respective state and fish and wildlife agency, to exercise their authority under existing law, including regarding land use planning, to facilitate 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 and facilitates recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting opportunities, to the extent authorized under applicable law. Requires that Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service lands, excluding lands on the Outer Continental Shelf, 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. Allows federal agencies to: (1) lease their lands for shooting ranges, and (2) designate specific lands for recreational shooting activities. 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 contiguous acres of federal public lands or waters to fishing or hunting or related activities. Instructs federal agencies to consult with respective advisory councils as specified in Executive Orders 12962 and 13443 in fulfilling the duties described in this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 2839 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 2 September 2011
Piracy Suppression Act of 2011 - Amends the Revised Statutes to subject any person who commits an act of piracy to the penalty of death or imprisonment for life. Defines "act of piracy" to mean any: (1) illegal act of violence, detention, or depredation, committed by the crew or passengers of a vessel against a vessel, person, or property on the high seas or in any other place outside the jurisdiction of a state (including inciting or facilitating such an act of piracy); and (2) any voluntary act of participation in the operation of a vessel with knowledge that it is a pirate ship. Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to seek reimbursement from a foreign country for the cost of U.S. action to protect or defend foreign-flagged vessels of the country from a pirate attack, including the cost of U.S. action to deter the attack. Authorizes the waiver of such costs under certain circumstances. Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish a training program for U.S. mariners on the use of force against pirates. Directs the DOT Secretary to require each federal agency responsible for the transport of equipment, materials, or commodities (government-impelled cargo) by U.S. vessels to provide armed personnel aboard such vessels while transiting high-risk waters. Requires each agency to reimburse vessel owners or operators for the cost of providing armed personnel. Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on efforts to track ransom payments paid to pirates operating in the waters off Somalia and improve their prosecution.
Bill· HRH.R. 2820 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 2011
Advanced Composites Development Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretaries of Transportation (DOT), Energy (DOE), Defense (DOD), and Homeland Security (DHS), to carry out a program to improve the nation's transportation infrastructure, advance the technologies used to produce alternative energy, enhance our military security, and develop new disaster mitigation systems by making grants to consortia for the establishment and operation of Advanced Composites Development Centers. Instructs the Secretaries to work with stakeholders to identify problems that can be solved over a period of five years through the development of an advanced composite material. Requires such Centers, by working with the private sector, to strive to produce new composite materials that are lighter, stronger, and more durable than existing materials and that have an immediate practical application.
Bill· HRH.R. 2814 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 August 2011
Furloughed FAA Employees Compensation Act of 2011 - Requires federal employees furloughed as a result of the lapse in expenditure authority from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund after 11:59 p.m. on July 22, 2011, through August 5, 2011, to be compensated for such lapse at their standard rates of compensation. Ratifies and approves all actions taken by federal employees, contractors, and grantees to maintain the essential level of government operations, services, and activities to protect life and property and to bring about orderly termination of government functions during such lapse, if otherwise in accord with the provisions of the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011, Part IV. Requires funds used by the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to compensate such employees to be: (1) derived from funds previously authorized out of the Airport and Airway Fund and made available or limited to DOT by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011; and (2) subject to the obligation limitations established in such Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 2811 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2011
Rescinds all unobligated stimulus funds made available for capital assistance for high-speed rail corridors under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Bill· SS. 1502 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2011
Clean Rivers Act of 2011 - Directs the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to review the adequacy of PHMSA regulations with respect to PHMSA-regulated pipelines that cross rivers with a width of at least 100 feet from high water mark to high water mark. Requires the Administrator to establish on a publicly available PHMSA website: (1) a database of all pipeline water crossings in the United States, (2) a listing of national and state statistics on pipeline safety, and (3) certain information regarding pipeline operator hazardous liquid pipeline response plans. Directs the Administrator to review: (1) the need for performance standards for leak detection systems used by hazardous liquid pipeline facility operators, and (2) the adequacy of PHMSA regulations in cases where a hazardous liquid pipeline facility operator must use an emergency flow restricting device. Requires the Administrator to review and report to Congress on all onshore gas and hazardous liquid gathering lines not regulated by PHMSA. Requires revision of the National Contingency Plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances to provide greater involvement of local authorities in the basic framework for the response management structure.
Bill· SS. 1499 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2011
Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to promulgate a rule to: (1) improve the daytime and nighttime visibility of agricultural equipment operating on public roads, and (2) establish 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 revision of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Standard 279 entitled "Lighting and Marking of Agricultural Equipment on Highways."
Bill· SS. 1496 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2011
Ethical Shipping Inspections Act of 2011 - Amends federal shipping inspection laws to prohibit the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating from delegating (and to require revocation of an existing delegation of) certain inspection, certification, and related services to a foreign classification society if the Secretary of State determines that such society provides comparable services: (1) in Iran, North Korea, North Sudan, or Syria; or (2) for the government of such countries.
Bill· SS. 1481 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2011
Medical Education Development Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program of grants to newly accredited allopathic and osteopathic 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. 1477 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2011
BARR Preservation Act of 2011 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), upon request of a private aircraft owner or operator, to require that, with respect to that owner's or operator's noncommercial flights, the display of the owner's or operator's aircraft registration number is blocked in aircraft situational display data available to the public. Allows the Administrator, however, to make such information available to federal, state, or local government agencies.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 251 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2011
Expresses support for: (1) improvement in the collection, processing, and consumption of recyclable material throughout the United States in order to create well-paying jobs, foster innovation and investment in recycling infrastructure, and stimulate the economy; (2) strengthening the U.S. manufacturing base in order to rebuild the domestic economy; (3) a competitive marketplace for recyclable materials; (4) the trade of recyclable commodities; (5) U.S. policies that promote recycling and recyclable materials, that promote using recyclable materials as feedstock to produce new basic materials and finished products, and that establish the equitable treatment of recycled materials; (6) research and development of new technologies to more efficiently and effectively recycle materials such as automobile shredder residue and cathode ray tubes and to remove materials that are impediments to recycling; (7) Design for Recycling to ensure that a good can be recycled safely and economically at the end of its useful life; and (8) the participation of U.S. households, businesses, and governmental entities in recycling programs. Recognizes that the U.S. scrap recycling industry is critical to the future of the United States.
Bill· SS. 1459 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Four Free Bags for Freedom Act - Prohibits an air carrier from charging a fee for four or fewer bags checked by a member of the Armed Forces traveling on official orders and being deployed on, or returning from, an overseas contingency operation. Limits such prohibition to each bag weighing 80 pounds or less.
Bill· HRH.R. 2747 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Cancer Centers Assistance for Renovations and Expansion Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program that provides loans to qualifying cancer centers for payment of the capital costs of projects for the improvement of research, prevention, or patient care infrastructure. Sets the maximum amount of such loans at: (1) $50 million for any cancer center or comprehensive cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute, and (2) $100 million for any entity that is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a cancer hospital meeting certain requirements for a subsection (d) hospital. (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)
Bill· HRH.R. 2738 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program to provide grants to owners or operators of water systems for programs or projects to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions of a U.S. region; and (2) give priority to owners or operators of water systems that are at the greatest and most immediate risk of facing significant negative impacts due to changing hydrologic conditions. Requires the Administrator to ensure that the list of grant applications funded includes a substantial number that propose to utilize innovative approaches that: (1) promote more efficient water use, water conservation, water reuse, or recycling; (2) use decentralized, low-impact development technologies and nonstructural approaches, including practices that use, enhance, or mimic the natural hydrological cycle or protect natural flows; (3) reduce stormwater runoff or flooding by protecting or enhancing natural ecosystem functions; (4) modify, upgrade, enhance, or replace existing water system infrastructure in response to changing hydrologic conditions; (5) improve water quality or quantity for agricultural and municipal uses, including through salinity reduction; and (6) provide multiple benefits, including to water supply enhancement or demand reduction, water quality protection or improvement, increased flood protection, and ecosystem protection or improvement.
Bill· HRH.R. 2736 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Access to Medical Treatment Act - Gives an individual the right to be treated by a health care practitioner with any medical treatment that the individual desires, including a treatment that is not approved, certified, or licensed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), if: (1) the practitioner has personally examined the individual and agrees to treat the individual, and (2) the administration of such treatment does not violate licensing laws. Authorizes health care practitioners to provide any method of treatment to such an individual if certain requirements are met, including that: (1) there is no reason to conclude that such treatment will cause danger to the individual; and (2) the patient is informed in writing that such treatment has not been approved, certified, or licensed by the Secretary. Requires a practitioner to report: (1) administering such treatment and discovering it to be a danger to an individual, and (2) the positive effects of an unconventional medical treatment for a life-threatening medical condition. Allows an individual to introduce or deliver into interstate commerce, or to produce, transport, receive, or hold, a food, drug, device, or equipment solely for use in accordance with this Act if there have been no advertising claims made by the manufacturer, distributor, or seller with respect to a medical treatment. States that nothing in this Act shall in any way adversely affect the distribution or sale of dietary supplements.
Bill· HRH.R. 2766 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Breaking Down Barriers Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to include as part of a federal-aid highway project any activities carried out by a state before approval of its application for federal funding if such activities meet applicable project requirements. Authorizes the Secretary, in order to accelerate project delivery, to issue a letter of no prejudice for a project at the time the project is included in the state transportation improvement program or as soon as practicable. Revises and makes permanent the surface transportation project delivery pilot program. Prohibits the Secretary from requiring a state, as a condition of participation in the program, to forego project delivery methods otherwise permissible for highway projects. Authorizes a state to assume highway project responsibilities administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), but not the responsibilities of any other modal administration within the Department of Transportation (DOT). Repeals the limitation to Alaska, California, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas of state participation in the program. Allows program participation by all states. Prescribes a special rule to permit a state participating in the program on September 30, 2009, to continue in the program and not be required to submit an application. Directs the Comptroller General to study methods to consolidate and streamline the environmental impact statement process with respect to federal-aid highway and highway safety construction projects and public transportation projects, with particular focus on the feasibility of modernizing current procedures for environmental impact statements to include new media and other communication techniques. Directs the Secretary to develop recommendations for expanding the list of activities categorically excluded from requirements for environmental assessments or environmental impact statements pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into an agreement to permit a state to assume all of the Secretary's responsibilities for federal-aid highway and public transportation projects if the state certifies that: (1) the project will be carried out in accordance with applicable requirements, and (2) at least two-thirds of the total projects costs will be derived from state funds. Directs the Secretary to extend the highway prompt payment program to other DOT transportation construction projects. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to establish deadlines for federal approval actions with respect to federal-aid highway and public transportation projects. Authorizes the Secretary to approve a request by a state to provide state public transportation and federal-aid highway project funds to federal agencies (including the DOT), state agencies, and Indian tribes participating in the environmental review process for such projects, or in an approved state process, to support activities that extend beyond environmental work to other aspects and modes of program and project delivery.
Bill· HRH.R. 2744 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Federal Aviation Employees Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make amounts in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund available to pay personnel compensation and benefits for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees funded from appropriations or authorizations provided on or before July 22, 2011.
Bill· HRH.R. 2734 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Territories Economic Development Opportunity Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to allocate to the U.S. territories discretionary federal-aid highway program funds out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Fund).
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 387 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Condemns the extremist violence, lack of religious freedom, and human rights violations committed against Kashmiri Pandits, which they have endured for more than two decades. Insists that terrorist infrastructure in the region be dismantled and terrorists held accountable for their actions.
Bill· HRH.R. 2714 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2011
Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the transport, purchase, or sale of: (1) any pelt of a Southcentral or Southeast Alaskan otter that is taken for subsistence purposes by any Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo who resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast of the North Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean; or (2) any handicraft, garment, or art produced from such a pelt, regardless of whether it is traditional or contemporary or altered or not altered significantly.
Bill· SS. 1449 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2011
Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Improvement Act of 2011 or Mariah's Act - Authorizes appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2012 and FY2013 for specified highway safety programs. Requires state highway safety programs to comply with certain uniform guidelines that meet specified criteria, including requirements for an effective accident record system. Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) from approving a state highway program which does not, beginning FY2013, provide for a robust, data-driven traffic safety enforcement program in areas most at risk for accidents. Repeals authority for a grant to states that use a comprehensive computerized safety recordkeeping system designed to correlate data regarding traffic accidents, drivers, motor vehicles, and roadways. Repeals the requirement that the Secretary establish an approval process by which a state may apply for all highway safety grants for which a single consolidated application process with one annual deadline is appropriate. Directs the Secretary to require a state to submit for Secretary approval annual highway safety plans that comply with certain safety performance measures and reporting requirements. Authorizes a state to use federal funds to implement a teen traffic safety program. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out collaborative research and development (R&D) projects to encourage innovative solutions to highway safety problems. Requires the Secretary to make continual improvements to modernize the National Driver Register's data processing system. Directs the Secretary to award grants to states that adopt and implement combined occupant protection programs (for both high seat and lower seat belt use) to reduce highway deaths and injuries. Directs the Secretary to award grants to states that adopt and implement: (1) impaired driving programs to reduce driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or (2) alcohol-ignition interlock laws. Directs the Secretary to award a grant to a state that enacts and enforces a law that: (1) prohibits drivers from texting while driving through a personal wireless communications device (including a cell phone, but not a global navigation satellite [GPS] system receiver), (2) prohibits drivers age 18 or younger from using a cell phone while driving, (3) makes violation of the law a primary offense, and (4) establishes certain minimum fines and increased civil and criminal penalties. Revises eligibility criteria for state motorcyclist safety grants. Directs the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to carry out a collaborative research effort to continue to explore the feasibility and potential benefits of, and the public policy challenges associated with, more widespread deployment of in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving. Directs the Secretary to award incentive grants to states with graduated driver licensing laws that include, for novice drivers under age 21, a two-stage licensing process before the grant of an unrestricted driver's license. Directs the Secretary to establish a National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council. Subjects a motorcycle helmet to federal motor vehicle equipment safety requirements. Prohibits a motor vehicle safety standard from requiring a manufacturer to comply with the standard by using a safety belt interlock designed to prevent starting or operating a motor vehicle if an occupant is not using a safety belt. Increases the maximum civil penalties for persons who commit a related series of daily violations of federal motor vehicle safety requirements. Directs the Secretary to conduct motor vehicle safety R&D activities. Increases civil penalties (including damages) for violations of federal prohibitions against tampering with motor vehicle odometers. Prohibits a person from selling, offering for sale, introducing in interstate commerce, or importing into the United States motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment containing a safety defect about which a notice or order of noncompliance with federal motor vehicle safety requirements has been issued, unless it receives a required recall remedy before being sold to a U.S. consumer. Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve public accessibility to information on the NHTSA vehicle safety databases; (2) require motor vehicle safety recall information be made available to the public; and (3) establish a NHTSA passenger vehicle safety defect hotline for manufacturer, dealer, and mechanic personnel. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to require: (1) public disclosure of possible defects of motor vehicles or related equipment reported to the Secretary by motor vehicle manufacturers (Early Warning data); and (2) 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. Requires certain motor vehicle manufacturer communications to include all notices to dealerships of software upgrades and recommended vehicle modifications. Directs the Secretary to require the senior official of a company responsible for safety to certify certain information submitted to the Secretary in response to requests for information in NHTSA safety defect or compliance investigations. Prescribes civil penalties for knowingly and willfully submitting false, misleading, or incomplete information. Establishes whistleblower protections for motor vehicle manufacturer, part supplier, and dealership employees. Prohibits a motor vehicle manufacturer or other person who is subject to federal motor vehicle safety regulation from employing NHTSA employees for the two-year period following the employee's termination of employment with NHTSA. Prescribes civil penalties for violations of such prohibition. Declares that filing for bankruptcy shall not negate a manufacturer's duty to comply with motor vehicle safety requirements for the recall of defective motor vehicle and motor vehicle equipment. Establishes within NHTSA a Council for Vehicle Electronics, Vehicle Software, and Emerging Technologies. Directs the Secretary to prescribe federal motor vehicle safety standards that: (1) mitigate unintended acceleration in passenger motor vehicles through a brake override system; (2) mitigate potential obstruction of pedal movement in passenger motor vehicles; (3) require electronic systems in passenger motor vehicles to meet minimum performance standards; (4) 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 (5) prohibit electronic visual entertainment screens visible to the driver while driving. Directs the Secretary to modify federal motor vehicle safety standards to: (1) require new passenger motor vehicles sold in the United States to be equipped with an event data recorder (EDR) that records vehicle operational data that can be stored and accessed for retrieval and analysis, (2) establish frontal crash protection requirements for child restraint systems for children weighing over 65 pounds, (3) improve the protection of children seated in child restraint systems during side impact crashes, (4) improve visibility and accessibility to child restraint anchorage systems as well as establish a maximum allowable weight of the child and child restraint for use of such systems, and (5) provide a safety belt use warning system for designated seating positions in the rear seat. Requires the Secretary to complete research to develop performance requirements to warn drivers that a child or other unattended passenger remains in the rear seating position after the vehicle motor is turned off.
Bill· SS. 1453 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2011
Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the transport, purchase, or sale of: (1) any pelt of a Southcentral or Southeast Alaskan otter that is taken for subsistence purposes by any Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo who resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast of the North Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean; or (2) any handicraft, garment, or art produced from such a pelt, regardless of whether it is traditional or contemporary or altered or not altered significantly.
Bill· SS. 1450 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2011
Commercial Truck Safety Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish a program to improve commercial motor vehicle safety on Interstate System (IS) highways. Directs the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking to establish a demonstration program under which a state governor may request from the Secretary a three-year waiver for covered trucks (six-axle trucks with a maximum gross weight of up to 100,000 pounds) to operate on the state's IS highways. Requires a state, as a condition for receiving a waiver, to: (1) collect data on the waiver's effects, particularly on accident rates involving heavier trucks; and (2) establish a safety committee to review such data.
Bill· HRH.R. 2695 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2011
Trisomy 21 Research Centers of Excellence of 2011- Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to expand and intensify NIH programs with respect to research and related activities concerning Down syndrome. Requires the Director of NIH to publish a research plan on Down syndrome and update it every five years or as appropriate. Requires the Director of NIH to award grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for centers of excellence regarding translational research on Down syndrome. Sets forth requirements for such centers, which shall include: (1) contributing to a comprehensive research portfolio for Down syndrome, (2) having a primary focus on Down syndrome, (3) providing an optimal venue and infrastructure for patient-oriented research, and (4) conducting basic, clinical, and translational research on Down syndrome in specified areas. Authorizes the Director of NIH to establish a Down Syndrome Consortium to facilitate the exchange of information and to make the research effort on Down syndrome more efficient and effective.
Bill· HRH.R. 2705 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2011
Education for All Act of 2011 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to state that it is U.S. policy to work with foreign countries and international and civil society organizations to achieve universal basic education by: (1) assisting developing countries and nongovernmental and multilateral organizations to provide all children with a quality basic education, and (2) promoting education as the foundation for communities' development. Directs the President to develop a comprehensive U.S. strategy to promote quality universal basic education. Authorizes the President to provide funds and other assistance to qualifying foreign countries to create the policies, processes, and infrastructure to develop national basic quality education plans. Directs the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to designate a Coordinator of United States Government Actions to Provide Basic Education Assistance who shall have primary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all U.S. government resources and international activities to promote quality universal basic education.
Bill· SS. 1446 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2011
State Transportation Flexibility Act - Allows a state to elect not to participate in the federal-aid highway program, including any federal highway program under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), beginning in FY2011, to carry out a direct federal-aid highway program to permit a state legislature, at least 90 days before the beginning of a fiscal year, to elect to: (1) waive the state's right to receive apportioned or allocated funds under the federal-aid highway program, and (2) receive a prorated amount of taxes appropriated to the Highway Trust Fund (other than for the Mass Transit Account) which are attributable to highway users in the state. Requires a pro rata reduction of such tax-equivalent amount in order to fund contract authority for programs of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Requires the state making an election to: (1) agree to maintain the Interstate System in accordance with the current Interstate System program; (2) submit a plan describing the purposes, projects, and uses to which such amounts will be put and the federal-aid highway programmatic requirements the state elects to continue; and (3) agree to obligate program amounts exclusively for projects that would be eligible for surface transportation program funding. Directs the Secretary to carry out a similar alternative funding program for public transportation programs.
Bill· SS. 1445 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2011
Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2011 - Makes it unlawful for a rental company, unless the defect or noncompliance has already been remedied, to rent, lease, or sell a covered vehicle on or after the earlier of: (1) the receipt by the company of a Secretary of Transportation (DOT) ordered notification from the manufacturer that the vehicle or equipment is defective or is noncompliant with federal motor vehicle safety standards; or (2) when the vehicle or equipment manufacturer gives notice to owners, purchasers, and dealers that the vehicle or equipment contains a defect or is noncompliant. Requires a rental company that receives a notification of a vehicle or equipment defect or noncompliance during the vehicle rental or lease period to: (1) contact the renter or lessee and any authorized driver of the covered vehicle about the defect or noncompliance; and (2) offer to provide them, at no additional cost, with a comparable alternative vehicle until the defect or noncompliance has been remedied. Treats violations of the requirements of this Act as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act. Subjects persons who violate such requirements to certain penalties. Requires the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to report to Congress on: (1) sales of motor vehicles to rental companies without standard safety features, and (2) sales by rental companies of covered vehicles known to include safety defects before they are recalled.
Bill· SS. 1436 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2011
Transportation and Regional Infrastructure Project Bonds Act of 2011 or TRIP Bonds Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax credit for any TRIP bond issued by a state infrastructure bank as part of an issue, if 100% of the available project proceeds from such issue are to be used for expenditures incurred for one or more qualified projects. Requires proceeds from the sale of bonds issued under this Act to be held in a TRIP Bonds Trust Account. Defines "qualified project" as the capital improvements to any transportation infrastructure project (including roads, bridges, rail and transit systems, ports, and inland waterways) proposed and approved by a state infrastructure bank. Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to extend certain customs fees for the processing of merchandise entered into the United States through specified dates in 2048.
Bill· HRH.R. 2693 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2011
Budget Control Act of 2011 - Prescribes discretionary spending limits for FY2012-FY2021, and makes it out of order for either house of Congress to consider any measure that would cause them to be exceeded. Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to revise requirements relating to specified authorities for the repurposing of spectrum frequencies from federal to exclusive non-federal use or to shared federal and non-federal use. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to disburse a portion of auction proceeds to a radio station licensee that has relinquished voluntarily some or all of its licensed spectrum usage rights in order to permit: (1) the assignment of new initial licenses through a competitive bidding process, or (2) the designation of new spectrum for unlicensed use. Establishes the Incentive Auction Relocation Fund. Prescribes requirements for assignment of mobile satellite services spectrum licenses on certain frequencies for terrestrial broadband use. Repeals the termination of FCC auction authority to grant a radio broadcast license or permit, thus making that authority permanent. Directs the FCC to use competitive bidding to auction licenses, construction permits, reservations, or similar authorizations or modifications, for domestic satellite services, including satellite-based television or radio services. Directs: (1) the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to identify for reallocation at least 15 megahertz of certain contiguous spectra from the October 2010 National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) report on wireless broadband systems, and (2) the FCC to auction various specified spectrum ranges. Directs the NTIA to report to Congress on the status of its plan to implement the recommendations on improving spectrum management contained in the "President's Memorandum on Improving Spectrum Management for the 21st Century." Increases the allocation of electromagnetic spectrum for public safety entities by: (1) directing the FCC to reallocate to such entities specified frequencies of the 700 MHz D block spectrum; and (2) authorizing flexible use of narrowband spectrum, including for public safety broadband communications, subject to exceptions. Establishes the Public Safety Trust Fund for deposit of proceeds of spectrum auctions. Makes certain FY2012 funds available for use by the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to carry out a research program on public safety wireless communications. Requires the deposit of up to $1 billion in the Incentive Auction Relocation Fund. Directs the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to establish rules to allow public safety entities licensed or otherwise permitted to use spectrum allocated to the Public Safety Broadband Corporation and other non-federal users of spectrum to have access to those components of federal infrastructure appropriate for: (1) the construction and maintenance of a nationwide public safety interoperable broadband network (to be established under this Act), or (2) operation of a commercial or other non-federal wireless networks. Requires the FCC to study and report to Congress on the efficient use of public safety spectrum. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the FY2012-FY2013 authorization of appropriations for federal Pell Grants. Terminates authority to make interest subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans to graduate and professional students as of July 1, 2012. Increases the maximum annual and aggregate amounts for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans for such students. Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, with respect to agricultural commodity support programs, to revise the definition of payment acres, in the case of direct support payments for the 2012 crop year, including payment acres for peanuts, to mean 59% of the base acres for the covered commodity on a farm on which direct payments are made. Establishes the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to make recommendations that will significantly improve the short-term and long-term fiscal imbalance of the federal government, with the goal of reducing the federal deficit to 3% or less of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Increases the U.S. public debt ceiling from $14.294 trillion to $16.994 trillion.
Bill· HRH.R. 2690 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2011
Directs the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct an annual audit of the financial statements of the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation.
Bill· HRH.R. 2677 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2011
Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2011 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue regulations for helicopter operations in Los Angeles County, California, that include requirements for helicopter flight paths and altitudes to reduce helicopter noise pollution in residential areas. Authorizes the Administrator to exempt from such requirements helicopter operations related to emergency, law enforcement, or military activities.
Bill· SS. 1430 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2011
Maritime Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 - Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to report to Congress on the status of the nation's coastal and inland waterways infrastructure. Requires the Maritime Administration to assess the potential for using container-on-barge transportation on the inland waterways system. Revises the purposes of the short sea transportation program to include promoting more efficient use of the U.S. navigable waters. Amends the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 to allow the Secretary to use National Defense Reserve Fleet and Ready Reserve Force vessels for civil contingency operations and Maritime Administration promotional and media events when in the best interests of the U.S. government. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a green ships program to identify, evaluate, test, demonstrate, or improve emerging marine technologies likely to achieve environmental improvements by reducing air or water emissions or other ship discharges, increasing fuel economy or use of alternative fuels, or controlling aquatic invasive species. Declares that certain maritime law limitations shall not affect the Maritime Administration's authority to dispose of National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels or shipyards for recycling. Amends the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 to direct the Secretary to provide briefings, upon request, to Congress on progress made to recycle National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels. Extends through FY2025 the Maritime Security Fleet Program. Authorizes the Secretary, subject to the concurrence with the Secretary of Defense (DOD), to acquire certain Maritime Security Fleet vessels being retired for inclusion in the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Directs the Comptroller General to study the training needs of the maritime workforce. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary for FY2012 for the Maritime Administration for: (1) operations and training activities, including specific amounts for U.S. Merchant Marine Academy capital improvements and maintenance and repair for State Maritime Schools training ships; (2) administrative expenses related to maritime guaranteed loan commitments; and (3) the disposal of non-retention vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
Bill· SS. 1433 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2011
Federal Aviation Employees Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make amounts in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund available to pay personnel compensation and benefits for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees funded from appropriations or authorizations provided on or before July 22, 2011.
Bill· SS. 1422 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2011
Students Taking Action for Road Safety Act of 2011 or STARS Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish a teen traffic safety grant program to award formula grants to states to implement statewide programs to improve the traffic safety of teen drivers. Authorizes a state to use grant funds to implement such statewide program to improve the traffic safety of teen drivers, including activities to support peer-to-peer education and prevention strategies in schools and communities to increase safety belt use and reduce speeding, impaired and distracted driving, underage drinking, and other destructive teen driver decisions that lead to injuries and fatalities. Authorizes the Secretary to contract with a national, nonprofit organization to establish a technical assistance center to provide training and technical assistance to state and local officials, student leaders, school advisors, and other entities associated with the grant program. Authorizes the center to operate a national teen traffic safety clearinghouse. Directs the Secretary to establish the National Teen Driver Advisory Council to study and develop an education and prevention strategy to reduce teen driver injuries and fatalities.
Bill· SS. 1419 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2011
Anti-Cash Smuggling Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to require reports concerning means of access to funds or the value of funds belonging or credited to a person (or agent or bailee), including prepaid or stored value cards (but not debit or credit cards), that can be used electronically to: (1) initiate a transfer of funds, (2) obtain currency in place of funds or the value of funds, or (3) purchase goods or services. Requires such reports to be filed only when a person knowingly: (1) transports, is about to transport, or has transported a means of access to funds or the value of funds of more than $10,000 at one time from a place in the United States to or through a place outside the United States, or to a place in the United States from or through a place outside the United States; or (2) receives a means of access to funds or the value of funds transported into the United States from or through a place outside the United States of more than $10,000 at one time. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to apply to a court for a search warrant upon a reasonable belief that: (1) a monetary instrument or a tangible mechanism that constitutes a means of access to funds or the value of funds is being transported; and (2) a required report has not been filed or contains a material omission or misstatement. Revises penalties and procedures regarding smuggling of cash, monetary instruments, and means of access to funds or the value of funds into or out of the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 2658 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2011
Federal Protective Service Reform and Enhancement Act - Revises provisions governing the Federal Protective Service (FPS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (currently, FPS is a component of of the National Protection and Programs Directorate of DHS). Declares FPS's mission to be to secure all facilities and surrounding federal property under its protection and to safeguard all occupants. Requires the Director of FPS to: (1) report to the Under Secretary responsible for critical infrastructure; (2) establish a training program for all FPS employees and security guards hired by contract; (3) ensure effective coordination and liaison with other law enforcement agencies regarding threats to FPS-protected facilities; (4) conduct a security risk assessment for each such facility; (5) inspect and patrol such facilities for the purpose of detecting terrorist or criminal activity and determining compliance with federal security standards; (6) ensure that each facility has and carries out adequate plans for emergency situations; (7) ensure the effective operation of security countermeasures for such facilities; and (8) ensure that background investigations are conducted for contract guards and building service contractors. Directs the Secretary of DHS to: (1) ensure that security personnel are provided training in terrorism prevention, (2) report annually with estimates of FPS staffing needs for the next five-year period, and (3) submit a five-year budget outlook and strategic plan for FPS. Directs the Under Secretary to: (1) manage risk by utilizing and maintaining a risk assessment tool and centralized database in order to conduct facility security risk assessments, track contract guard posts, and validate contract guard certifications; and (2) issue and implement a list of items, including component parts, that are prohibited from being brought into facilities protected by FPS unless an exemption is granted. Requires the Director to: (1) establish minimum training and annual certification requirements for all FPS contract guards; (2) establish a program to periodically assess such training and the security of FPS-protected facilities; and (3) publish a list of qualified vendors and qualified products that would promote common standards of deployment of personnel and technology, procedures and requirements for the proper administration of such list, and best practices for utilizing such products. Gives the Secretary, acting through FPS, primary authority in the executive branch for implementing counterterrorism and homeland security functions to secure any building and all federal property located in or on a facility that is owned, occupied, or secured by any component of the federal government. Directs the Secretary to submit: (1) a strategy for more effectively managing the contract guard program; (2) a coordinated strategy for cooperation between the Under Secretary responsible for critical infrastructure protection and the Under Secretary for Science and Technology regarding research, development, and deployment of security technology conducted by the Transportation Security Laboratory; and (3) a report on retention rates within the FPS contract guard workforce.
Bill· SS. 1407 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2011
Air Ambulance Medicare Accreditation and Accountability Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to condition Medicare payment for air ambulance services upon: (1) provision by the supplier or service provider for appropriate medical oversight by a physician, and (2) accreditation of the air ambulance as level III or higher. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) establish a process for accrediting air ambulances according to three specified levels of accreditation, from lowest to highest; (2) consider certain factors in designating accreditation organizations; (3) establish criteria for use by an accreditation organization to evaluate an air ambulance; and (4) establish certain requirements for the collection of related data. Prohibits reimbursement for air ambulance services under a state plan under SSA title XVII (Medicaid) unless the state develops licensing and regulatory requirements for such services that comply with federal guidelines. Directs the Secretary to establish a revised air ambulance rate structure under the Medicare fee schedule. Requires sole community air ambulance services originating in a rural area to be reimbursed at a higher rate than for services by a non-sole community air ambulance. Requires the Secretary to reduce the update for ambulance services for the failure of suppliers and providers to submit certain quality data to the Secretary . Authorizes the Secretary to arrange with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to study ground critical care transport.
Bill· HRH.R. 2629 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2011
Next Generation 9-1-1 Advancement Act of 2011 - Revises the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to provide for matching grants (with a federal share of up to 80%), through October 1, 2017, to eligible state or local governments or tribal organizations for: (1) implementing and operating 9-1-1 and E9-1-1 services, migrating to an IP-enabled emergency network, and adopting and operating Next Generation 9-1-1 services and applications; (2) implementing IP-enabled emergency services and applications enabled by Next Generation 9-1-1 services, including IP backbone networks and application layer software infrastructure needed to interconnect emergency response organizations; and (3) training public safety personnel. Directs the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the Department of Commerce and the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish a 9-1-1 Implementation Coordination Office. Defines "E9-1-1 services" as both phase I and II enhanced 9-1-1 services as described in specified Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. Defines "Next Generation 9-1-1 services" to mean an IP-based system comprised of hardware, software, data, and operational policies and procedures that: (1) provides standardized interfaces from emergency call and message services to support emergency communications; (2) processes all types of emergency calls, including voice, data, and multimedia information; (3) acquires and integrates additional emergency call data useful to call routing and handling; (4) delivers the emergency calls, messages, and data to the appropriate public safety answering point and other appropriate emergency entities; (5) supports data or video communications needs for coordinated incident response and management; or (6) provides broadband service to public safety answering points or other first responder entities. Provides immunity and liability protection, to the extent consistent with specified provisions of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999, to a provider or user of Next Generation 9-1-1 services, a public safety answering point, and the officers, directors, employees, vendors, agents, and any authorizing government entity for: (1) releasing subscriber information related to emergency calls or services; and (2) other matters pertaining to 9-1-1, E9-1-1, or Next Generation 9-1-1 services, including the use or provision of such services. Directs the FCC to: (1) initiate a proceeding to create a specialized Do-Not-Call registry for public safety answering points, and (2) establish penalties and fines for autodialing (robocalls) and related violations.
Bill· SS. 1400 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2011
Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2011 - Establishes the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund to be available for expenditures to the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas solely for: (1) coastal restoration projects and activities; (2) mitigation of damage to, and restoration of, fish, wildlife, or natural resources; (3) implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan; (4) programs to promote tourism, the consumption of seafood produced from the Gulf Coast ecosystem, and education regarding the natural resources of such ecosystem; (5) planning assistance and administrative costs; (6) workforce development and job creation; (7) improvements to state parks in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; (8) mitigation of the ecological and economic impact of outer Continental Shelf activities and the impacts of such oil spill or promotion of the long-term ecological or economic recovery of the Gulf Coast ecosystem through the funding of infrastructure projects; and (9) coastal flood protection and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetland losses, beach erosion, and the impacts of such oil spill. Requires the Secretary to deposit in the Fund 80% of all administrative and civil penalties paid after this Act's enactment, pursuant to a court order, negotiated settlement, or other instrument in accordance with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), in connection with the explosion on, and sinking of, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon. Amends the Clean Water Act to require 35% of amounts made available from the Fund in any fiscal year to be available to the Gulf Coast states in equal shares for ecological and economic restoration of the Gulf Coast ecosystem. Authorizes a governor of a Gulf Coast state, in awarding contracts for such a project or program, to give a preference to individuals and companies that reside in, are headquartered in, or are principally engaged in business in, a Gulf Coast state. Establishes the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council to: (1) publish a Comprehensive Plan for and undertake projects and programs to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands, and economy of the Gulf Coast ecosystem; (2) update such Plan every five years; (3) coordinate the development of consistent policies, strategies, plans, and activities addressing the restoration and protection of the Gulf Coast ecosystem and associated research; and (4) prepare an integrated financial plan and recommendations for coordinated budget requests for the amounts proposed to be expended by the federal agencies represented on the Council for projects and programs in the Gulf Coast states. Requires 60% of the total amount made available from the Fund to be disbursed to the Council to carry out the Plan. Establishes within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology Program, under which the NOAA Administrator shall provide grants to establish and operate a center of excellence in each of the Gulf Coast states. Requires each center to focus its curriculum on science, technology, and monitoring in at least one of the following: (1) coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration, and protection; (2) coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring; (3) offshore energy development; (4) sustainable and resilient growth and economic and commercial development; and (5) comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf. Allocates 5% of Fund amounts to such Program. Establishes the Gulf of Mexico Research Endowment to be administered by the Secretary of Commerce for use in providing long-term funding for such Program. Requires: (1) the Council to establish a fishery and ecosystem endowment to ensure the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem, fish stocks, the fish habitat, and the recreational, commercial, and charter fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico; and (2) NOAA to administer such endowment.
Bill· HRH.R. 2616 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2011
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2011 - Bars a federal agency from prohibiting an airline pilot, copilot, or navigator, or law enforcement person specifically detailed for protection of an aircraft from carrying a firearm.
Bill· HRH.R. 2609 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2011
Enhancing Livability for All Americans Act of 2011 - Establishes within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) an Office of Livability. Requires the Office Director to establish a program to award competitive grants to eligible entities to assist: (1) capital investments in surface transportation projects with a significant impact on enhancing the livability in a region, metropolitan area, community, or neighborhood; and (2) communities in developing strategic growth plans that provide a vision and goals for development over a minimum 20-year period and integrate long-term innovative transportation and land use planning. Requires priority be given to: (1) investment projects that increase the number of transportation options, improve access to housing, jobs, and services, and reduce greenhouse gas; and (2) innovative planning applicants who have proposed strategic growth plans for communities with transportation systems characterized by poor access to job centers and schools, limited transportation options for residents, and significant traffic congestion. Requires the Director to: (1) develop statistical and analytical capabilities to ascertain specified transportation data; and (2) collaborate with other federal agencies to carry out activities that promote the development of livable communities, increase transportation choices, and improve the environment, public health, and quality of life.
Bill· HRH.R. 2594 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2011
European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to prohibit an operator of a U.S. civil aircraft from participating in any emissions trading scheme unilaterally established by the European Union. Directs the Secretary, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other appropriate U.S. government officials to use their authority to conduct international negotiations and take other actions necessary to ensure that operators of U.S. civil aircraft are held harmless from any such scheme.
Bill· HRH.R. 2595 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2011
National Neurological Diseases Surveillance System Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) enhance and expand infrastructure and activities to track the epidemiology of neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease; and (2) incorporate information obtained through such activities into a National Neurological Diseases Surveillance System. Requires the Secretary to ensure that the System is designed in a manner that facilitates further research on neurological diseases. Requires the Secretary to provide for the collection and storage of information on the incidence and prevalence of neurological diseases in the United States and other information on neurological diseases, such as demographics information, risk factors, or diagnosis and progression markers. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) provide for the collection and storage of information relevant to analysis on neurological diseases, such as information concerning the epidemiology, natural history, prevention, detection, management, and treatment of the diseases and the development of outcomes measures; and (2) address issues identified through consultations with individuals with appropriate expertise. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, public or private nonprofit entities to carry out activities under this Act. Requires the Secretary to: (1) make information and analysis in the System available to federal agencies and to the public, including researchers; and (2) ensure that privacy and security protections applicable to the System are at least as stringent as the protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Bill· HRH.R. 2602 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2011
Fiscal Accountability and Transparency in Infrastructure Spending Act of 2011 - Requires each executive agency to obtain a life-cycle cost analysis for each major infrastructure project prior to obligating funds. Defines "life-cycle cost analysis" as a process for evaluating the total economic worth of an infrastructure project by analyzing specified costs over a minimum 50-year period. Authorizes the use of alternate infrastructure type bidding procedures for awarding contracts for projects on the National Highway System and for major infrastructure projects. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to require states to utilize the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (developed under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project I-37A) for the initial design phase of all authorized highway projects.
Bill· SS. 1382 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2011
Appalachian Development Highway System Act of 2011 - Authorizes appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2012-FY2017 for the Appalachian development highway system program. Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to apportion such funds among the appropriate states to complete construction of the Appalachian development highway system. Requires amounts made available to a state that remain unobligated five years later to be returned to the Secretary and reallocated among the remaining states. Authorizes states of the system to loan apportioned amounts between themselves.
Bill· HRH.R. 2575 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2011
Drive to Stay Alive Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to withhold 5% of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds for FY2012, and each succeeding fiscal year, if the state has not enacted and implemented a law that: (1) prohibits a driver from using a personal wireless communications device (cell phone, but excluding a global navigation satellite system receiver used for positioning, emergency notification, or navigation [GPS]) to call or text while driving when there is a minor in the vehicle, (2) makes violation of the law a primary offense, and (3) establishes certain minimum fines and increased civil and criminal penalties. Permits laws meeting the requirements of this Act to provide exceptions for driver: (1) use of a hands-free device (other than a driver who is a minor), (2) use of a cell phone in emergency situations, and (3) use of a cell phone by a commercial motor vehicle driver or school bus driver.
Bill· HRH.R. 2546 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2011
Medical Waste Management Act of 2011 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to: (1) revise the definition of "medical waste"; (2) require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations listing types of medical waste; and (3) require the Administrator to conduct a medical waste management program to protect human health and the environment from medical waste and promulgate regulations on tracking, labeling, packaging, storing, handling, monitoring, and disposing of medical waste. Requires generators of medical waste (including tattoo and body art establishments) to: (1) provide waste transporters with written assurance that the generator has complied with labeling, packaging, and storage requirements and a manifest form for transporting such waste; (2) register with the Administrator; and (3) provide the Administrator with the names of all waste transporters. Requires transporters to: (1) not accept medical waste from a generator without receiving such assurance; (2) register with the Administrator; and (3) disclose to the Administrator the number and type of vehicles used to transport medical waste and the equipment and methods used to ensure segregation and handling of such waste. Requires owners or operators of storage and disposal facilities to: (1) provide notice of the disposal of medical waste to the generator; and (2) register with the Administrator. Sets forth provisions concerning inspections, public records, and enforcement under this Act. Requires the Administrator to: (1) establish a program to educate the public about, and increase access to, acceptable methods for disposal of used syringes; (2) study and report on medical waste generated and its management and disposal; and (3) consult with the International Joint Commission on tracking medical waste entering the United States from Canada.
Bill· HRH.R. 2538 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2011
Reducing Environmental Barriers to Unified Infrastructure and Land Development Act of 2011 Act or the REBUILD Act - Amends the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to authorize a responsible federal official to assign, and a state to assume, the responsibilities of such official with respect to covered federal projects within such state under such Act and under other federal environmental laws pertaining to project review or approval. Provides that any responsibility of such official not explicitly assumed by the state by written agreement shall remain the responsibility of the official. Defines "responsible federal official" as: (1) the Secretary of the Interior; (2) the Secretary of Transportation; (3) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); (4) the Secretary of the Army; and (5) the head of a federal agency, with respect to the preparation of environmental impact statements for major federal actions. Requires each responsible federal official to promulgate regulations that establish requirements relating to information required to be contained in state applications to assume such responsibilities. Permits such official to approve an application only if: (1) public notice requirements have been met; (2) the state has the capability to assume such responsibilities; and (3) the head of the state agency having primary jurisdiction over covered projects enters into a written agreement with such official to assume such responsibilities and to maintain the financial resources necessary to carry them out. Requires such federal official to audit state compliance with federal laws for which responsibilities are assumed and authorizes such official to terminate such responsibilities, after providing notice and an opportunity to take corrective action, if a state is not adequately carrying them out.
Bill· SS. 1352 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2011
Amends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to make eligible for use of a state's apportionment of coordinated border infrastructure program funds certain improvements for the safe movement of freight and passenger rail at or across the borders between the United States and Canada and the United States and Mexico. Reauthorizes the program through FY2015, indexed for inflation.
Bill· HRH.R. 2520 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2011
Spectrum for Innovation Act of 2011 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modify regulations concerning radio frequency devices to allow unlicensed U-NII (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure) devices, as specified, to operate in the electromagnetic spectrum between the frequencies of 5350-5470 and 5850-5925 megahertz, provided that: (1) licensed users will be protected by technical solutions, including use of existing, modified, or new spectrum-sharing technologies and solutions, such as dynamic frequency selection; and (2) the primary mission of federal spectrum users in such frequency bands will not be compromised by introducing unlicensed devices. Requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to submit to Congress a study on known and proposed spectrum-sharing technologies and the risk to federal users if unlicensed U-NII devices were allowed to operate in such bands.