Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 01/09/2007 - Star Print ordered on the bill.

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A bill to expand access to preventive health care services that help reduce unintended pregnancy, reduce abortions, and improve access to women's health care. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Prevention First Act - Title X Family Planning Services Act of 2007 - Authorizes appropriations for family planning services grants and contracts under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA). Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act of 2007 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and PHSA to prohibit a group health plan and a health insurance issuer providing group coverage from excluding or restricting benefits in any way for prescription contraceptive drugs, devices, and outpatient services if the plan or coverage provides benefits for other outpatient prescription drugs, devices, or outpatient services. Applies such prohibitions to coverage offered in the individual market. Emergency Contraception Education Act of 2007 - Directs [...]

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Latest Action: 10/24/2007 - Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Bill Text
A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program for the provision of readjustment and mental health services to veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes. 5/23/2007--Introduced. Veterans' Mental Health Outreach and Access Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program to provide to veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, particularly veterans who served in such Operations while in the National Guard and reserves: (1) peer outreach and support services; (2) readjustment counseling and related services; and (3) mental health services. Directs the Secretary to also provide to immediate family members of such veterans, during the three-year period following the return of the veterans from such a deployment, education, support, counseling, and mental health services to assist in: (1) readjustment to civilian life; (2) recovery from an injury [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S113)

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A bill to amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to make certain graduate programs in professional psychology eligible to participate in various health professions loan programs.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Strengthen the Public Health Service Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement for the establishment and operation of a student loan fund with any public or other nonprofit school that offers a graduate program in professional psychology.

Revises provisions concerning the collection of health professions data, sex discrimination in medical education programs, and definitions to make these applicable to "professional" (rather than "clinical") psychologists.

Latest Action: 09/25/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H10796)

Bill Text
To reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections in correctional facilities, and for other purposes. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Justice for the Unprotected Against Sexually Transmitted Infections among the Confined and Exposed Act of 2007 or the JUSTICE Act of 2007 - Requires the Attorney General to direct the Bureau of Prisons to allow community organizations to distribute sexual barrier protection devices (e.g., condoms) and to engage in sexually transmitted infection (STI) counseling and prevention education in federal correctional facilities. Prohibits a federal correctional facility from taking adverse action against a prisoner who possesses or uses a sexual barrier protection device.Expresses the sense of Congress that states should allow for the legal distribution of sexual barrier protection devices in their correctional facilities. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) conduct a survey of all educational, testing, and other programs in federal and state [...]

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Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to raise awareness of eating disorders and to create educational programs concerning the same, and for other purposes. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Eating Disorders Awareness, Prevention, and Education Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the use of innovative assistance funds for programs to: (1) improve identification of students with eating disorders; (2) increase awareness of such disorders among parents and students; and (3) train educators with respect to effective eating disorder prevention and assistance methods. Directs the Secretary of Education to carry out a program to broadcast public service announcements to improve public awareness, and to promote the identification and prevention, of eating disorders. Requires the National Center for Education Statistics and the National Center for Health Statistics to: (1) study the impact eating disorders have [...]

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Latest Action: 08/02/2007 - Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S10842)

Bill Text
A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President should declare lung cancer a public health priority and should implement a comprehensive interagency program to reduce the lung cancer mortality rate by at least 50 percent by 2015. 8/2/2007--Passed 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.) Urges the President to: (1) declare lung cancer a public health priority and immediately lead a coordinated effort to reduce the mortality rate of lung cancer by 50% by 2015; (2) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to increase funding for lung cancer research; (3) direct the Secretary of Defense to develop a lung cancer screening and disease management program among members of the Armed Forces and veterans and diagnostic programs for the early detection of lung cancer; (4) appoint the Lung Cancer Scientific [...]

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Latest Action: 05/08/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Bill Text
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's Health Week, and for other purposes.

5/8/2007--Introduced.

Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Women's Health Week.

Recognizes the importance of: (1) preventing diseases that commonly affect women; and (2) federally funded programs that provide research and collect data on common diseases in women.

Calls on women to observe National Women's Check-Up Day by receiving preventive screenings.

Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Bill Text
To direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to reduce injuries to patients, direct-care registered nurses, and other health care providers by establishing a safe patient handling standard. 1/10/2007--Introduced. Nurse and Patient Safety & Protection Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of Labor, acting through the Director of Occupational Safety and Health Administration, to establish a Federal Safe Patient Handling Standard to prevent musculoskeletal disorders for direct-care registered nurses and other health care providers working in health care facilities by requiring the elimination of manual lifting of patients through the use of mechanical devices, except during a declared state of emergency. Requires health care facilities to: (1) develop and implement a safe patient handling plan consistent with such standard; and (2) post a uniform notice that explains the standard and the procedures to report patient handling-related [...]

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Latest Action: 04/10/2007 - Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Dorgan with an amendment. With written report No. 110-43.

Bill Text
A bill to establish an Indian youth telemental health demonstration project.

4/10/2007--Reported to Senate amended.    (There is 1 other summary)

Indian Youth Telemental Health Demonstration Project Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a demonstration project to award up to five grants, of up to four years each, for the provision of telemental health services to Indian youth who have expressed suicidal ideas, have attempted suicide, or have mental health conditions that increase or could increase the risk of suicide.

Makes eligible for such grants any Indian tribes and tribal organizations that operate one or more facilities: (1) located in Alaska and part of the Alaska Federal Health Care Access Network; (2) reporting active clinical telehealth capabilities; or (3) offering school-based telemental health services relating to psychiatry to Indian youth.

Latest Action: 11/13/2007 - Mrs. Capps moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.

Bill Text
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to lung cancer as a public health priority and the recommendations of the Lung Cancer Progress Review Group of the National Cancer Institute.

11/13/2007--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary)

Recognizes: (1) lung cancer as a public health priority; (2) the importance of reducing the lung cancer mortality rate by at least half by 2015; (3) the benefit of graduate medical education programs in thoracic medicine and cardiothoracic surgery; and (4) the importance of the recommendations of the Lung Cancer Progress Review Group of the National Cancer Institute.

Encourages increased investment for lung cancer research and other lung cancer-related programs.

Expresses support for efforts to develop a broad-based lung cancer screening and disease management program among members of the Armed Forces and veterans.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 09/29/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10074-10075)

Bill Text
A bill to improve research on health hazards in housing, to enhance the capacity of programs to reduce such hazards, to require outreach, and for other purposes.
Latest Action: 09/24/2008 - Committee on Foreign Relations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Dodd. With written report No. 110-496.

Bill Text
An original bill to authorize appropriations under the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for security assistance for fiscal years 2009 and 2010, and for other purposes.
Latest Action: 07/31/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7960-7961)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for the conduct of comparative effectiveness research and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund, and for other purposes. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Comparative Effectiveness Research Act of 2008 - Amends title XI (General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification) of the Social Security Act to provide for a program of comparative effectiveness research for health care. Defines "comparative effectiveness research" as research evaluating and comparing the implications and outcomes of two or more health care strategies to address a particular medical condition. Establishes the Health Care Comparative Effectiveness Research Institute as a nonprofit, nongovernmental, corporation to conduct research on the effectiveness of health care treatments, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and procedures, and other therapies.[...]

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Latest Action: 07/29/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for enhanced food-borne illness surveillance and food safety capacity. 7/29/2008--Introduced. Improving Food-borne Illness Surveillance and Response Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to strengthen and expand foodborne illness surveillance systems to: (1) inform and evaluate efforts to prevent foodborne illness; and (2) enhance the identification and investigation of, and response to, foodborne illness outbreaks.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to enhance foodborne illness surveillance systems to improve the collection, analysis, reporting, and usefulness of data on foodborne illnesses.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to improve capacity for surveillance in states, including by: (1) supporting outbreak investigations with needed specialty expertise; (2) supporting model practices [...]

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Latest Action: 11/20/2008 - Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S10702)

Bill Text
A bill to advance America's priorities. 7/22/2008--Introduced. Advancing America's Priorities Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) establish a system to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and establish a registry for such data; (2) provide for an education and information campaign to promote stroke prevention; and (3) award grants for a pilot project to improve stroke patient outcomes by coordinating health care delivery through telehealth networks.Establishes programs for research, rehabilitation, and quality of life for people with paralysis.Provides for support services to women suffering from postpartum depression and who receive a positive diagnosis of Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states to provide vision care for children. Amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to expand services for homeless youth [...]

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Latest Action: 07/15/2008 - Vetoed by President.

Bill Text
To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes. 7/15/2008--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on June 24, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 - Title I: Medicare - Subtitle A: Beneficiary Improvements - Part 1: Prevention, Mental Health, and Marketing - (Sec. 101) Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, to cover additional preventive services. Includes body mass index and end-of-life planning among initial [...]

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Latest Action: 06/17/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Bill Text
To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes. 6/9/2008--Introduced. Medicare Efficiency and Development of Improvement of Care and Services Act (MEDICS Act) of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for coverage of additional preventive services.Provides for gradual elimination of copayment rates for Medicare psychiatric services.Places prohibitions and limitations on certain sales and marketing activities under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and prescription drug plans.Requires offering of a range of Medicare supplemental policies.Extends the qualifying individual program. Provides for application of a full low-income subsidy [...]

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