Standards Legislation - Federal Government

A bill to provide authority for the Federal Government to purchase and insure certain types of troubled assets for the purposes of providing stability to and preventing disruption in the economy and financial system and protecting taxpayers, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide incentives for energy production and conservation, to extend certain expiring provisions, to provide individual income tax relief, and for other purposes. 10/3/2008--Public Law.    (There are 6 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on October 1, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Division A: Emergency Economic Stabilization - Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 - Title I: Troubled Assets Relief Program - (Sec. 101) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary) to establish the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to purchase troubled assets from any financial [...]

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A bill to improve the quality of federal and state data regarding the availability and quality of broadband services and to promote the deployment of affordable broadband services to all parts of the Nation. 10/24/2007--Reported to Senate amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Broadband Data Improvement Act - (Sec. 3) Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) revise the definitions of advanced telecommunications capability, or broadband; (2) identify tiers of broadband service in which most connections can reliably transmit full-motion, high definition video; and (3) revise certain provider reporting requirements to enable the FCC to identify actual numbers of broadband connections by customer type and geographic area. Requires the FCC to determine certain demographic data for geographical areas that are not served by any provider of advanced telecommunications capability. Requires expansion of the American Community Survey to elicit [...]

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To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to extend, modify, and recodify the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance security and protect against acts of terrorism against chemical facilities, and for other purposes. 3/14/2008--Reported to House without amendment, Part I.    (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Homeland Security should: (1) extend and modify the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards; (2) take a holistic approach to securing sources of chemicals against a terrorist attack; and (3) expediently exercise existing authority to ensure that by focusing on chemicals at fixed site facilities, risk is not transferred to other potential sources of such chemicals.(Sec. 4) Amends [...]

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To require the establishment of customer service standards for Federal agencies. 7/23/2007--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop: (1) performance measures to determine whether federal agencies are providing high quality customer service; and (2) standards to be met by federal agencies to provide high quality customer service. Requires the head of each agency to: (1) collect information from its customers regarding the quality of its of customer services; and (2) include this information in its performance report to the President and Congress. Requires the Director to report annually on the success of federal agencies in meeting the customer service performance measures and standards.Requires the head of each agency to designate an employee as its customer relations representative to be responsible [...]

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To amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to enhance the independence of the Inspectors General, to create a Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and for other purposes. 10/3/2007--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Improving Government Accountability Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to allow an Inspector General (IG) to be removed from office prior to the expiration of his or her term only on the grounds of permanent incapacity, inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance, conviction of a felony or conduct involving moral turpitude, knowing violation of a law, gross mismanagement or waste of funds, or abuse of authority.Requires the head of a federal entity that intends to remove from office or transfer an IG to communicate the reasons to both Houses of Congress at least 30 days before such removal or transfer.Establishes the term of office of each IG as seven years and [...]

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A bill to amend chapter 41 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for the establishment and authorization of funding for certain training programs for supervisors of Federal employees. 3/22/2007--Introduced. Federal Supervisor Training Act of 2007 - Revises provisions relating to specific training programs for federal agency supervisors. Requires the head of each federal agency to establish: (1) a program to provide interactive instructor-based training to supervisors on developing and discussing relevant goals and objectives with the employee, communicating and discussing progress on performance goals and objectives and conducting performance appraisals, mentoring and motivating employees and improving employee performance and productivity, effectively managing employees with unacceptable performance, and addressing reports of a hostile work environment, reprisal, or harassment; (2) a program to provide training to supervisors on prohibited personnel practices and processes [...]

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An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. 5/12/2008--Reported to Senate without amendment.    (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 - Division A: Department of Defense Authorizations - Title I: Procurement - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force for aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement.(Sec. 104) Authorizes appropriations [...]

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To authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes. 5/15/2008--Introduced. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 - Authorizes appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for FY2009 for: (1) science; (2) aeronautics; (3) exploration; (4) education; (5) space operations; (6) cross-agency support programs; and (7) the inspector general. Authorizes additional appropriations for use to accelerate the initial operational capability of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle. Requires: (1) a process for transitioning NASA experimental earth science and space weather research into operational services; and (2) a plan for the continuation of Landsat thermal infrared data collection or its equivalent. Reauthorizes the Glory Mission. Requires development of a plan for a Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR). Sets [...]

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To reauthorize and enhance the National Environmental Education Act, and for other purposes. 7/10/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) No Child Left Inside Act of 2008 - Amends the National Environmental Education Act (the Act) to add to the minimum functions and activities required of grantees under the Environmental Education and Training program, which trains educational professionals in the development and delivery of environmental education and training. Requires such grantees to: (1) create opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development, in addition to classroom training; (2) ensure that their environmental education programs and curricula are aligned with challenging state and local academic content standards and advance the teaching of interdisciplinary courses that include strong field components; (3) bring teachers into contact with working environmental professionals; (4) provide environmental [...]

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A bill to reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, and for other purposes. 9/24/2008--Passed House without amendment.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on September 18, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations for the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) for FY2009-FY2012. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Superintendent of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control to include within fire service personnel training: (1) tactics and strategies for dealing with natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters; (2) applying new technology and developing strategies and tactics for fighting wildfires; (3) tactics and strategies for fighting large-scale or multiple fires in [...]

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A bill to increase energy assistance for low-income persons, to extend energy tax incentives, and for other purpose. 7/28/2008--Introduced. Energy Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to authorize appropriations for FY2009-FY2011 for the home weatherization program. Establishes in the Treasury the Energy Assistance Fund to finance low interest loans for the purchase and installation of energy efficient property, idling reduction devices and advanced insulation for heavy trucks, and alternative refueling stations.Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers a tax credit, up to $500, for the cost of replacing a residential wood stove with: (1) a wood-burning stove that complies with current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards; and (2) a pellet or corn-burning stove. Extends the tax credit for producing electricity from wind facilities through 2009 and the credit for closed and open-loop [...]

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To reauthorize the Select Agent Program by amending the Public Health Service Act and the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 and to improve oversight of high containment laboratories. 7/30/2008--Introduced. Select Agent Program and Biosafety Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 to reauthorize appropriations for the Select Agent Program, which lists and controls biological agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety. Requires appropriate training of individuals handling or using such agents and toxins.Includes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) among the federal agencies limited in the disclosure of information related to listed agents or toxins.Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to review and make recommendations for improving the Select Agent [...]

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To make technical corrections related to the Pension Protection Act of 2006, and for other purposes. 6/26/2008--Introduced. Pension Protection Technical Corrections Act of 2008 - Makes technical corrections to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to conform to the Pension Protection Act of 2006 regarding various specified items, including: (1) the target normal cost of benefits; (2) specified implementation and effective dates for certain requirements; (3) one-participant retirement plans; (4) special age-related rules in accrued benefit requirements for applicable defined benefit plans; (5) inapplicability in certain cases of the limitation on income deductions (for tax purposes) for employer contributions to one or more defined contribution plans; and (6) adjustments to averaging in the determination of the value of the assets of single-employer defined benefit pension plans for minimum funding purposes. Makes t