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

Bill Text
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: 06/26/2007 - Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 110-90. Additional and Minority views filed.

Bill Text
A bill to restore habeas corpus for those detained by the United States. 6/26/2007--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.)Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007- Repeals provisions of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 that eliminated the jurisdiction of any court to hear or consider applications for a writ of habeas corpus filed by aliens who have been determined by the United States to have been properly detained as enemy combatants (or who are awaiting such determination) and actions against the United States relating to the detention of such aliens and to military commissions (thus restoring habeas corpus rights existing prior to the enactment of such Act).Allows courts to hear or consider legal challenges to military commissions only as provided by the Code of Military Justice or by a habeas [...]

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Latest Action: 02/13/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1911-1912)

Bill Text
A bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2008, and for other purposes. 2/13/2007--Introduced. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2008 for military operations and military construction. Authorizes appropriations to DOD for: (1) procurement, including aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement; (2) the Rapid Acquisition Fund and the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund; (3) research, development, test, and evaluation, including ballistic missile defense; (4) operation and maintenance, including defense working capital funds, the defense health program, chemical agents and munitions destruction, and environmental restoration; (5) active and reserve military personnel, including [...]

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Latest Action: 03/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Bill Text
To preserve the right to habeas corpus.

2/16/2007--Introduced.

Habeas Corpus Preservation Act - Provides that nothing in the Military Commissions Act of 2006 shall affect the right of any U.S. resident to habeas corpus.

Latest Action: 06/29/2007 - Select Committee on Intelligence. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with amendments. With written report No. 110-125. Additional views filed.

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An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 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. 6/5/2007--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 2008 - Division A: Department of Defense Authorizations - Title I: Procurement - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for FY2008 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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Latest Action: 06/29/2007 - Select Committee on Intelligence. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with amendments. Without written report.

Bill Text
An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. 6/29/2007--Reported to Senate amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 - Title I: Procurement - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for FY2008 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 for FY2008 for: (1) defense-wide procurement; and (2) the Rapid Acquisition Fund. Subtitle B: Army Programs - (Sec. 111) Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, beginning with the FY2008 program year, to enter into a multiyear contract for procurement of: (1) M1A2 Abrams [...]

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Latest Action: 07/25/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9922-9923)

Bill Text
A bill to prohibit extraterritorial detention and rendition, except under limited circumstances, to modify the definition of "unlawful enemy combatant" for purposes of military commissions, to extend statutory habeas corpus to detainees, and for other purposes. 7/25/2007--Introduced. National Security with Justice Act of 2007 - Prohibits, with specified exceptions, a U.S. officer or agent from: (1) engaging in the extraterritorial (outside of the United States) detention of any individual; or (2) rendering (transferring to another legal jurisdiction) or participating in the rendition of any individual. Authorizes a U.S. officer or agent to apply for an order of rendition, and a judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Court) to issue such an order, under specified procedures. Provides for: (1) authorizations and orders for emergency detention; (2) uniform standards for the interrogation of individuals detained by the U.S. government; (3) protection of government [...]

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Latest Action: 02/05/2008 - Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with amendments. With written report No. 110-261.

Bill Text
A bill to reauthorize the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2008, and for other purposes. 2/5/2008--Reported to Senate amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 - (Sec. 101) Title I: Authorizations - Authorizes appropriations for FY2008 for the Coast Guard for: (1) operations and maintenance; (2) acquisition, construction, renovation, and improvement of aids to navigation, shore and offshore facilities, vessels, and aircraft; (3) retired pay, payments under the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection and Survivor Benefit Plans, and payments for medical care of retired personnel and their dependents; (4) environmental compliance and restoration; (5) research, development, testing, and evaluation programs; (6) operation and maintenance of the Coast Guard reserve program; and (7) construction of a new Chelsea Street Bridge in Chelsea, Massachusetts. (Sec. 102) Authorizes FY2008 levels of Coast Guard active [...]

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Latest Action: 06/25/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Bill Text
To amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the definition of unlawful enemy combatant for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Defense relating to military commissions, to establish a statutory right of habeas corpus for individuals detained at the detention facility at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and for other purposes. 5/24/2007--Introduced. Military Commissions Revision Act of 2007 - Amends federal law concerning powers and procedures of military commissions (commissions) to redefine the term "unlawful enemy combatant" as a person who has engaged in, attempted, or conspired to engage in acts of armed hostilities or terrorism against the United States or its co-belligerents, and who is not a lawful enemy combatant. Repeals the requirement that a finding by a combatant status review tribunal that a person is an unlawful enemy combatant be dispositive for purposes of jurisdiction for trial by a commission. Allows statements [...]

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Latest Action: 09/06/2007 - Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Bill Text
To amend titles 28 and 10, United States Code, to restore habeas corpus for individuals detained by the United States at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and for other purposes.

6/22/2007--Introduced.

Amends the federal judicial code to allow an alien detained by the United States as an enemy combatant to apply for a writ of habeas corpus, including an application challenging transfer, or bring an action solely for prospective injunctive relief against transfer, except for an alien in a zone of active combat involving U.S. Armed Forces.

Limits the review of prosecutions, trials, or judgments of a military commission to that provided by the Code of Military Justice or by a habeas corpus proceeding.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 09/10/2008 - Referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8280)

Bill Text
A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding sexual assaults and rape in the military. 9/10/2008--Introduced. Calls for the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive strategy to increase and encourage investigation and prosecution of sexual assault and rape cases in the military. Sets forth elements to be included in such strategy, including: (1) requiring commanders to be held accountable for sexual assaults and rapes in their units and for disposition of such cases; (2) developing prevention and response programs to create a culture that prevents sexual assault and rape in the military and encourages more reporting by victims; (3) reviewing the capacity of the legal infrastructure in the Armed Forces to investigate and prosecute effectively sexual assault cases; (4) examining any barriers on military facilities to conducting effective investigations of sexual assault and rape cases; and (5) ensuring that the command affords an alleged sexual [...]

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

Bill Text
A bill to provide for habeas corpus review for terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and for other purposes. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Enemy Combatant Detention Review Act of 2008 - Amends the federal judicial code to grant the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia exclusive jurisdiction of, and make it the exclusive venue for consideration of, all habeas corpus applications by or on behalf of any enemy combatant held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident (covered individual) that are pending on or filed on or after the enactment of this Act. Prescribes related procedures, including restrictions on oral testimony. Stays any such application until all Military Commission proceedings regarding the covered individual have been resolved. Requires release of a covered individual, for whom the District Court grants a writ application and orders release, into the custody of the Secretary of Homeland Security [...]

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Latest Action: 07/31/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Bill Text
To provide for habeas corpus review for terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and for other purposes. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Enemy Combatant Detention Review Act of 2008 - Amends the federal judicial code to grant the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia exclusive jurisdiction of, and make it the exclusive venue for consideration of, all habeas corpus applications by or on behalf of any enemy combatant held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident (covered individual) that are pending on or filed on or after the enactment of this Act. Prescribes related procedures, including restrictions on oral testimony. Stays any such application until all Military Commission proceedings regarding the covered individual have been resolved. Requires release of a covered individual, for whom the District Court grants a writ of habeas corpus and orders release, into the custody of the Secretary of Homeland Security [...]

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Latest Action: 09/04/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Bill Text
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding sexual assaults and rape in the military. 7/29/2008--Introduced. Calls for the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive strategy to increase and encourage i