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Latest Action: 09/26/2008 - Introduced in the Senate, read twice. (text of measure as introduced in Senate: CR S9660-9668)

Bill Text
A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for economic recovery for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. 9/26/2008--Introduced. Economic Recovery Act, 2008 - Makes emergency supplemental appropriations for FY2008 for infrastructure, energy, and economic recovery to: (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 Corps of Engineers; (7) the Department of the Interior; (8) the Department of Energy (DOE); (9) the Department of the Treasury, including the Office of Inspector General; (10) the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); (11) the General Services Administration (GSA); (12) the Small Business Administration (SBA); (13) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); (14) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); (15) the Department [...]

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Latest Action: 09/17/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Bill Text
A bill to direct the Librarian of Congress and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to carry out a joint project at the Library of Congress and the National Museum of African American History and Culture to collect video and audio recordings of personal histories and testimonials of individuals who participated in the Civil Rights movement, and for other purposes.

9/17/2008--Introduced.

Civil Rights History Project Act of 2008 - Requires the Librarian of Congress and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (acting through the Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture) to establish an oral history project to: (1) collect video and audio recordings of, and visual and written materials relevant to the personal histories of, participants in the Civil Rights movement; and (2) make the collection available for public use through the Library of Congress and the Museum.

Latest Action: 07/31/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Bill Text
A bill to make technical corrections to the laws affecting certain administrative authorities of the United States Capitol Police, and for other purposes.

7/31/2008--Introduced.

United States Capitol Police Administrative Technical Corrections Act of 2008 - Makes technical amendments to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 with respect to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Capitol Police. Requires the CAO to report to and serve at the pleasure of the Chief of the Capitol Police. Repeals the CAO's authority over the personnel of the Capitol Police Office of Administration.

Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003 to authorize the Chief of Police to discipline and suspend Capitol Police employees with or without pay.

Establishes a General Counsel to the Chief of Police and the U.S. Capitol Police.

Prohibits lump sum payments to terminated U.S. Capitol Police officers or employees for unused compensatory time.

Latest Action: 09/27/2008 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on House Administration. H. Rept. 110-896, Part I.

Bill Text
To provide financial support for the operation of the law library of the Library of Congress, and for other purposes. 9/27/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Charles H.W. Meehan Law Library Improvement and Modernization Act - Authorizes appropriations to the Librarian of Congress, in addition to any other amounts made available, for maintaining and administering the operations of the law library of the Library of Congress, including the cataloguing of its collections. Requires the Law Librarian of Congress, to the extent practicable in using such funds, to catalog and archive nonproprietary material in the collections of the Law Library electronically in a nonproprietary and nondiscriminatory format.Requires the Librarian of Congress, in preparing the annual budget for the Library of Congress, to ensure that all amounts attributable to salaries and expenses of the law library are set forth separately as a separate [...]

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Latest Action: 07/18/2008 - Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Leahy under authority of the order of the Senate of 01/04/2007. With written report No. 110-425.

Bill Text
An original bill making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. 7/18/2008--Reported to Senate without amendment.    (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2009 - Makes FY2009 appropriations for the Department of State (Department) for: (1) administration of foreign affairs and diplomatic and consular programs; (2) the civilian stabilization initiative; (3) the Capital Investment Fund; (4) the Office of Inspector General; (5) educational and cultural exchange programs; (6) representation allowances; (7) protection of foreign missions and officials; (8) U.S. embassy security, construction, and maintenance; (9) emergencies in the diplomatic and consular service;[...]

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Latest Action: 07/10/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6572-6574)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Consumer Credit Protection Act, to ban abusive credit practices, enhance consumer disclosures, protect underage consumers, and for other purposes. 7/10/2008--Introduced. Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2008, or the Credit CARD Act of 2008 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require advance notice of any increase in the annual percentage rate of interest (APR) pertaining to a credit card account under an open end consumer credit plan. Imposes a freeze on interest rate terms and fees on canceled cards. Sets limits on fees and interest charges, including a prohibition against penalties for on-time payments. Prohibits a creditor from furnishing information to a consumer reporting agency concerning a newly opened credit card account until the credit card has been used or activated by the consumer. Revises requirements for prompt and fair crediting of card payments. Prohibits universal default [...]

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Latest Action: 07/30/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
To provide additional authorities to the Comptroller General of the United States, and for other purposes. 7/29/2008--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Comptroller General to: (1) obtain federal agency records required to discharge his or her duties, including through bringing civil actions under this Act; (2) interview agency officers and employees to get information about agency duties, powers, activities, organization, and financial transactions; and (3) administer oaths to witnesses (currently, the Comptroller General may administer oaths to witnesses when auditing and settling accounts).Requires the Comptroller General to prescribe such policies and procedures as are necessary to protect from public disclosure proprietary or trade secret information obtained under this Act.Declares that no provision of the Social Security Act, the Federal Food,[...]

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Latest Action: 07/21/2008 - Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.

Bill Text
A bill to provide that 4 of the 12 weeks of parental leave made available to a Federal employee shall be paid leave, and for other purposes. 6/16/2008--Introduced. Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2008 - Allows federal employees to substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay available for either the: (1) birth of a child; or (2) placement of a child with the employee for either adoption or foster care. Makes available for any of the 12 weeks of leave an employee is entitled to for such purposes: (1) four administrative weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth or placement involved; and (2) any accumulated annual or sick leave. Authorizes the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to increase the amount of paid parental leave available to up to eight administrative workweeks, based on the consideration of: (1) the benefits provided to the federal government of offering increased paid parental leave, including [...]

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Latest Action: 06/19/2008 - Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 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 committee conc

Bill Text
To establish the Commission on Affordable Health Care to study and provide recommendations for establishing a health care system to provide affordable health care to all citizens of the United States and for the roles of certain health care entities in providing such services under such system, and to provide for expedited Congressional consideration of such recommendations.

6/19/2008--Introduced.

Commission on Affordable Health Care Act of 2008 - Establishes in the legislative branch the Commission on Affordable Health Care to: (1) conduct a comprehensive study of potential models for a health care system to provide affordable and quality health care to all U.S. citizens; and (2) make recommendations for implementing such a system. Requires the Commission to report to Congress on the study and include a legislative proposal that provides for a health care system based on the recommendations of the Commission. Provides for expedited congressional consideration of such a proposal.

Latest Action: 05/14/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Bill Text
To establish a United States Human Rights Commission to monitor compliance by the United States with international human rights treaty obligations.

5/14/2008--Introduced.

Human Rights Commission Act of 2007 [sic] - Establishes the Human Rights Commission which shall monitor U.S. compliance with all international human rights treaties to which the United States is a party (including treaties to which the United States becomes a party after the date of the enactment of this Act).