Technology Legislation - Federal Government

A bill making supplemental appropriations for job creation and preservation, infrastructure investment, and economic and energy assistance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. 11/17/2008--Introduced. Economic Recovery Act of 2008 - Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 for infrastructure, energy, and economic recovery for: (1) the Department of Agriculture; (2) the Department of Commerce; (3) the Department of Justice (DOJ); (4) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); (5) the Legal Services Corporation; (6) the Department of Defense (DOD) - Civil for the Department of the Army Corps of Engineer; (7) the Department of Energy (DOE); (8) the Department of the Treasury, including the Office of Inspector General; (9) the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); (10) the General Services Administration (GSA); (11) the Small Business Administration (SBA); (12) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); (13) the Department [...]

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A bill to provide incentives to small business concerns for innovative energy-efficient technologies and products, and for other purposes. 10/2/2008--Introduced. Small Business Energy Innovation Act of 2008 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), to make grants and loan guarantees to small business concerns for the development of innovative energy-efficient technologies and products. Amends the Small Business Act to establish in the SBA the position of Director of Energy Innovation to coordinate SBA energy innovation activities and technical assistance programs. Establishes an energy innovation grant program to provide grants, on a competitive basis, to private, nonprofit organizations, including institutions of higher education, that are capable to providing technical assistance relating to renewable and advanced energy efficiency systems, advanced transportation [...]

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A bill to regulate certain State and local taxation of electronic commerce, and for other purposes. 10/1/2008--Introduced. Prohibits a state from imposing any tax on electronic commerce (i.e., transactions conducted over the Internet or through Internet access) of any person unless that person has a physical presence in the state during the period to which such tax applies or is incorporated or domiciled in such state. Sets forth criteria for determining physical presence, including: (1) being physically in a state or assigning one or more employees to a state; (2) using the services of an agent to establish or maintain the electronic commerce in the state; or (3) leasing or owning tangible personal or real property in the state. Exempts from the definition of "physical presence" entering into an agreement to share revenue generated by the electronic commerce of another person, presence in the state for less than 15 days in a taxable year, and presence in a state [...]

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A bill to amend section 114 of title 17, United States Code, to provide for agreements for the reproduction and performance of sound recordings by webcasters. 9/29/2008--Introduced. Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008 - Allows a receiving agent (designated by the Librarian of Congress to collect royalties that ultimately are disbursed to sound recording copyright owners and performers) to enter into agreements with webcasters that establish royalty terms for the performance of sound recordings over the Internet. Provides that such agreements, which may be effective for a period of up to 11 years following January 1, 2005, are to be binding on all copyright owners of sound recordings and other persons entitled to payment, in lieu of any determination of compulsory license rates by the Copyright Royalty Judges.Terminates the authority to negotiate settlement agreements under this Act on February 15, 2009.Declares that nothing in this Act (or any agreement entered [...]

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A bill to improve the calculation of, the reporting of, and the accountability for, secondary school graduation rates. 9/26/2008--Introduced. Every Student Counts Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require, beginning by the 2011-2012 school year, states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and secondary schools annually to include on the report cards required under title I of the Act: (1) their four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate; (2) their cumulative graduation rate; (3) the number of students graduating in more than four years with a regular secondary school diploma; (4) the number of students who have been removed from the adjusted cohort; (5) the percentage of students from an adjusted cohort who remain in secondary school after four years; and (6) the percentage of secondary school students in each grade, except the graduating grade, prepared to advance to the next grade. Requires such data, except for data on students who remain [...]

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A bill to establish a research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program to promote research of appropriate technologies for heavy duty plug-in hybrid vehicles, and for other purposes. 9/26/2008--Introduced. Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a competitive program to provide between three and seven grants of up to $3 million in each of three years to advance research and development and to demonstrate technologies, including plug-in hybrid technology, for advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles (vehicles with a gross weight of between 14,000 and 33,000 pounds that are fueled, in part, by a rechargeable energy storage system); and (2) conduct research into alternative power train designs for use in advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles.Amends the United States Energy Storage Competitiveness Act of 2007 to direct the Secretary to conduct an applied research program [...]

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A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for the licensing of Internet skill game facilities, and for other purposes. 9/26/2008--Introduced. Internet Skill Game Licensing and Control Act of 2008 - Prescribes license requirements for the operation of an Internet skill game facility in interstate or foreign commerce. Shields persons from liability for engaging in investment banking, payments processing, or financial activities with a licensee if such activities comply with specified law. Sets forth prohibitions and limitations of licenses in states and upon Indian lands where permitted bets or wagers are prohibited. Cites conditions under which a state or Indian tribe may establish requirements governing an Internet skill game facility.Prohibits a licensee, as a condition of its license, from facilitating a bet or wager in connection with a sporting event or contest of a sporting league. Subjects violations of this Act to specified [...]

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A bill to enhance the capacity of the United States Government to fully implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 and to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation throughout the world. 9/27/2008--Introduced. Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish the Office of Water which shall: (1) implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005; and (2) place primary emphasis on providing safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. Directs the Secretary of State to establish the Bureau for International Water within the Office of the Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs which shall: (1) coordinate U.S. diplomatic policy regarding global freshwater issues; and (2) ensure that international freshwater issues are represented within the U.S. government.[...]

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