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Latest Action: 09/14/2007 - Signed by President.

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A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process. 9/14/2007--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on July 31, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 - Title I: Closing the Revolving Door - (Sec. 101) Amends the federal criminal code to extend from one to two years the ban on lobbying contacts by former: (1) very senior executive personnel with any Member, officer, or employee of the entity in which such person served before his or her tenure terminated; and (2) Senators with any Member, officer or employee of either chamber, or employee of any other legislative office.Continues the one-year ban on lobbying contacts by former: (1) Members of the House of Representatives with any Member, officer, or employee of either chamber, or employee of any other legislative office; (2) [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9-11)

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A bill to reinstate the pay-as-you-go requirement and reduce budget deficits by strengthening budget enforcement and fiscal responsibility. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Restoring Fiscal Discipline Act of 2007 - Makes it out of order in the Senate to consider any direct spending or revenue legislation that would increase or cause an on-budget deficit during certain specified time periods. Makes it out of order in the Senate to consider, under the expedited procedures applicable to reconciliation in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA), any bill, resolution, amendment, amendment between chambers, motion, or conference report that increases the deficit or reduces the surplus in the first fiscal year or the ensuing five or 10 fiscal years covered by the most recently adopted concurrent resolution on the budget. Makes it out of order in the Senate to consider, pursuant to CBA, any resolution, concurrent resolution, amendment, amendment between the chambers, motion,[...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Bill Text
To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to protect Social Security beneficiaries against any reduction in benefits.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Social Security Protection Act of 2007 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill or joint resolution (or related amendment or conference report) that: (1) reduces or has the effect of reducing any current benefits under the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI) programs under title II of the Social Security Act; or (2) provides for or has the effect of providing for cost-of-living increases of OASDI benefits that are less than what would be provided as of the day of the measure's consideration.

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

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Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to curtail the growth of Government programs.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Amends Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to provide that it shall not be in order to consider a bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that establishes a new program or modifies an existing program by adding a new function unless such legislation also eliminates one or more existing programs of equal or greater total cost. Excludes legislation that establishes a new defense, homeland security, or emergency program.

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Bill Text
To institute a Pay-As-You-Go rule in the House of Representatives for the 110th Congress.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Makes it out of order to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report if its provisions affecting direct spending and revenues have the net effect of increasing the deficit or reducing the surplus for the current fiscal year and the five or 10 ensuing fiscal years.

Latest Action: 01/09/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

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Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to establish a minority bill of rights to require the House to be administered in a bipartisan manner and to require regular order in the legislative process. 1/9/2007--Introduced. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to add Rule XXIX (Bipartisan Administration of the House) to require: (1) the elected leadership of the majority and minority parties to engage in regular consultations with each other to discuss House scheduling, administration, and operations; and (2) the chair and ranking minority member of each committee and their staffs to have regular meetings with each other. Amends Rule X (Organization of Committees) to require that allocation of amounts provided to a committee under a primary or supplemental expense resolution or during an interim funding period be paid at the ranking minority member's direction. Adds Rule XXX (Regular Order for Legislation) to require legislation to come to [...]

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Latest Action: 01/12/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E88)

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Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to ensure that Members have a reasonable amount of time to read legislation that will be voted upon. 1/12/2007--Introduced. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to establish a new Rule XXIX to prohibit any vote by the House on any bill, joint resolution, conference report, or amendment unless: (1) the text of the measure has been available to all Members and their staffs in both printed and electronic format for at least 10 days; and (2) any amendment that makes substantive changes has been made available for at least 72 hours. Makes exceptions for: (1) legislation containing classified information if Members have at least seven days to study the contents; and (2) congressional declarations of war or authorization of military force to respond to attacks on the United States. Deems any Member who votes for a measure in violation of such Rule to have violated House ethics rules and to be subject to censure.[...]

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Latest Action: 01/24/2007 - Considered as privileged matter. (consideration: CR H902-903)

Bill Text
Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

1/24/2007--Introduced.

Disapproves certain actions taken by the Majority on the Committee on Rules (refusal to produce for the Ranking Member a copy of a letter from another Minority Member requesting withdrawal of an amendment he had submitted for the Committee's consideration regarding H.Res. 78).

Directs the Chairwoman of the Committee to undertake practices to prevent future occurrences.

Latest Action: 01/05/2007 - Considered as unfinished business.

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Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Tenth Congress. 1/5/2007--Passed House 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.) Title I: Adoption of Rules of One Hundred Ninth Congress - (Sec. 101) Adopts the Rules of the House of Representatives for the 109th Congress as the Rules for the 110th Congress, with amendments. Title II: Ethics - (Sec. 202) Amends Rule XXIII (Code of Official Conduct) to prohibit Members, with the intent to influence on the basis of partisan political affiliation an employment decision or practice of private entities, from: (1) taking or withholding, or offering or threatening to to take or withhold, an official act; or (2) influencing, or offering or threatening to influence, the official act of another. (Sec. 203) Amends Rule [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Bill Text
To institute a reconciliation rule in the House of Representatives for the 110th Congress.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Makes it out of order to consider a concurrent resolution on the budget, an amendment to it, or a conference report containing reconciliation directives under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that specify changes in law reducing the surplus or increasing the deficit for the current fiscal year and the five or 10 ensuing fiscal years.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 07/02/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.

Bill Text
To require a review of existing trade agreements and renegotiation of existing trade agreements based on the review, to set terms for future trade agreements, to express the sense of the House of Representatives that the role of Congress in trade policymaking should be strengthened, and for other purposes. 6/4/2008--Introduced. Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment Act of 2008, or the TRADE Act of 2008 - Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to: (1) review biennially certain free trade agreements (including Uruguay Round Agreements) between the United States and foreign countries; and (2) report to the Congressional Trade Agreement Review Committee regarding such agreements, including analyses of specified subjects and of each agreement, as well as whether the country has a democratic form of government that respects certain core labor rights and fundamental human rights, protects intellectual property rights, and enforces environmental laws.[...]

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Latest Action: 04/15/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide taxpayers a flat tax alternative to the current income tax system. 4/15/2008--Introduced. Optional One Page Flat Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize an individual or a person engaged in business activity to make an irrevocable election to be subject to a flat tax (in lieu of the existing tax provisions) of 19% for the first two years after an election is made, and 17% thereafter. Calculates taxable income for individual taxpayers by subtracting a basic standard deduction and an additional standard deduction for each dependent from the total of wages, retirement distributions, and unemployment compensation. Defines "business taxable income" to mean gross active income reduced by the cost of certain business inputs. Imposes an employer tax on the value of excludable compensation provided to employees not engaged in business activity of 19% for the first two years after an election [...]

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Latest Action: 04/01/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2298-2299)

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A resolution to limit consideration of amendments under a budget resolution. 4/1/2008--Introduced. Declares that: (1) time on a budget resolution may only be yielded back by consent; (2) no first degree amendment may be proposed after the 10th hour of debate on such legislation unless it has been submitted to the Journal Clerk before the expiration of such hour; (3) no second degree amendment may be proposed after the 20th hour of debate on a budget resolution unless it has been submitted to such Clerk before the expiration of the 20th hour; (4) the budget resolution shall be set aside for one calendar day, after up to 40 hours of debate, so that all filed amendments are printed and made available in the Congressional Record before debate continues; and (5) provisions contained in such measure or its amendments shall exclude programmatic detail not within the Senate Committee on the Budget's jurisdiction. Permits waiver or suspension of such requirements, or successful [...]

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Latest Action: 06/05/2008 - Mr. Spratt brought up conference report H. Rept. 110-659 for consideration under the provisions of H. Res. 1214.

Bill Text
An original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2009 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2008 and 2010 through 2013. 5/20/2008--Conference report filed in House.    (There are 4 other summaries) Sets forth the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2009, including the appropriate budgetary levels for FY2008 and FY2010-FY2013. Title I: Recommended Levels and Amounts - (Sec. 101) Lists recommended budgetary levels and amounts, for FY2008-FY2013, with respect to: (1) federal revenues; (2) new budget authority; (3) budget outlays; (4) deficits (on-budget); (5) debt subject to limit; and (6) debt held by the public. (Sec. 102) Lists the appropriate levels of new budget authority, outlays, and administrative expenses for Social Security, U.S. Postal Service discretionary administrative expenses, and specified major functional [...]

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Latest Action: 01/15/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

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Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to strengthen the earmark point of order. 1/15/2008--Introduced. Additional Earmark Disclosure Resolution - Amends rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it out of order to consider a conference report unless the accompanying joint explanatory statement includes: (1) a list of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, and limited tariff benefits (and the name of any requesting Member or Senator) that were not committed to the conference committee by either House, not in a report on such bill, or not in a report of a Senate committee on a companion measure; or (2) a statement that the proposition contains no congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits. Makes it out of order also to consider an amendment between the Houses to a bill or joint resolution unless the proponent has caused to be printed in the Congressional Record before [...]

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Latest Action: 12/13/2007 - Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the co

Bill Text
To provide for investment and protection of the Social Security surplus. 12/13/2007--Introduced. Social Security Surplus Protection Act of 2007 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to direct the Managing Trustee to ensure that amounts in either the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund (Social Security Trust Funds) equivalent to the annual surplus for such Fund for any calendar year are made available to the Social Security Surplus Investment Board (SSSIB) on a timely basis for purposes of investment. Requires the Managing Trustee also to ensure that Trust Fund assets are available for payment of benefits. Establishes the SSSIB in the executive branch to provide for the investment of such amounts. Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any concurrent resolution [...]

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Latest Action: 10/10/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

Bill Text
Providing for a moratorium on the consideration of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that contains any congressional earmark until a bipartisan panel is established to provide oversight over the congressional earmarking process and that panel reports its recommendations to the House.

10/10/2007--Introduced.

Makes it out of order to consider any bill or joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that contains any congressional earmark unless and until: (1) a bipartisan panel composed of Members appointed by the Speaker and the Minority Leader is established to make recommendations to the House on how to better provide oversight of the congressional earmarking process to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funds; and (2) that panel reports its recommendations to the House.

Latest Action: 10/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H11304-11307)

Bill Text
To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to set a cap on allocated funds for earmarks. 10/3/2007--Introduced. Earmark Reform Act 2007 - Amends the Congressional Budget of 1974 to subdivide amounts allocated to the congressional appropriations committees into: (1) a specified total of new budget authority and outlays for earmarks in appropriations measures for the first fiscal year of the first concurrent budget resolution; and (2) an amount of total new budget authority and outlays for such earmarks for the first fiscal year of each ensuing budget resolution equal to 1% of total new budget authority and total outlays allocated to such committees. (Thus caps total earmarks at 1% of total new budget authority and total outlays allocated each fiscal year to such committees.) Makes it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, or amendment if its enactment would cause the applicable allocation of new budget authority [...]

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Latest Action: 06/24/2008 - Committee Hearings Held.

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To establish a commission to develop legislation designed to reform tax policy and entitlement benefit programs and ensure a sound fiscal future for the United States, and for other purposes. 9/25/2007--Introduced. Securing America's Future Economy Commission Act, or SAFE Commission Act - Establishes the Securing America's Future Economy (SAFE) Commission to develop legislation designed to address: (1) the unsustainable imbalance between long-term federal spending commitments and projected revenues; (2) increases in net national savings to provide for domestic investment and economic growth; (3) the implications of foreign ownership of federally issued debt instruments; and (4) revision of the budget process to place greater emphasis on long-term fiscal issues. Requires the Commission to: (1) develop one or two methods for estimating the cost of legislation as an alternative to the current Congressional Budget Office (CBO) method; and (2) hold at least one town-hall [...]

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Latest Action: 06/25/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans.

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Expressing the sense of the Congress that hunting seasons for migratory ducks and geese should be modified so that individuals have a fair and equitable opportunity to harvest such birds. 6/22/2007--Introduced. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 should be modified to allow for duck and goose hunting during the last week of August in areas north of 49 degrees north latitude, as approved by the parties to the appropriate international agreement; and (2) such an extended hunting season will improve hunting opportunities in Alaska without causing negative impacts on waterfowl populations, will generate additional revenue that may be used for the management and conservation of wildlife species in Alaska, and will continue to provide for the conservation and enhancement of waterfowl populations; and (3) the United States should take immediate steps to begin discussions with the appropriate parties to ensure that all Americans have an [...]

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