Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 09/27/2008 - Hearings Held by Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Prior to Introduction and Referral (05/15/2007)..

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A bill to provide needed housing reform and for other purposes. 5/8/2008--House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment.    (There are 3 other summaries) American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 - Title I: FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention - FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008 - Subtitle A: Homeownership Retention - (Sec. 112) Amends the National Housing Act (NHA) to create the Refinance Program Oversight Board, which shall establish and oversee a program for insuring homeownership retention mortgages. Instructs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to insure any homeownership retention mortgage covering a one- to four-family residence made to pay or prepay outstanding obligations under an existing mortgage on the residence. Sets forth mortgagor eligibility criteria, including mortgagor certification that: (1) the residence is the only residence [...]

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Latest Action: 06/27/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8616-8617)

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A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to ensure that every uninsured child in America has health insurance coverage, and for other purposes. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Kids Come First Act of 2007 - Amends title XIX of the Social Security Act (SSA) to give states the option to receive 100% Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentages (FMAPs) for medical assistance for children in poverty in exchange for expanded coverage of children in working poor families under Medicaid (SSA title XIX) or SCHIP (SSA title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance)). Eliminates the cap on SCHIP funding for states that expand eligibility for children. Gives states the option to: (1) provide wrap-around SCHIP coverage to children who have other health coverage; (2) enroll low-income children of state employees in SCHIP; (3) provide optional coverage of legal immigrant children under Medicaid and SCHIP; and (4) provide for passive renewal of eligibility for children [...]

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Latest Action: 01/05/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Bill Text
To amend title 49, United States Code, to exempt airports in economically depressed communities from matching grant obligations under the airport improvement program.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Amends the airport improvement program to provide that the federal share of costs for airport improvement projects at airports that are receiving subsidized small community air service and that are located in economically depressed communities shall be 100% (effectively exempting such airports from matching grant requirements under the program).

Latest Action: 01/12/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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To allow seniors to file their Federal income tax on a new Form 1040S.

1/12/2007--Introduced.

Seniors' Tax Simplification Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make available a new Federal income tax Form 1040S (similar to Form 1040EZ) to individuals who have turned 65 as of the close of the taxable year. Allows the form to be used even if income includes: (1) social security benefits; (2) distributions from qualified retirement plans, annuities, or other such deferred payment arrangements; (3) interest and dividends; or (4) capital gains and losses.

Latest Action: 05/18/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

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To amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to increase the availability and affordability of quality child care services by creating incentives for older individuals to join the child care workforce, and for other purposes. 1/17/2007--Introduced. Seniors Offering Quality Child Care Act of 2007 - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBGA) to: (1) increase the portion of funds states must use for activities to improve the quality of child care services; (2) include among such activities examining methods to increase recruitment, retention, and compensation of child care workers age 55 and older; and (3) exempt allowances, earnings, and payments to such older individuals under CCDBGA from consideration as income in determining eligibility for and amount of income transfer and in-kind aid under any federal or federally assisted program based on need. Amends the Social Security Act to exempt compensation for child caregiving [...]

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Latest Action: 03/20/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3354-3355)

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A bill to reauthorize Department of Agriculture conservation and energy programs and certain other programs of the Department, to modify the operation and administration of these programs, and for other purposes. 3/20/2007--Introduced. Healthy Farms, Foods, and Fuels Act of 2007 - Extends: (1) the conservation reserve program; (2) the wetlands reserve program; (3) the conservation security program; (4) the grassland reserve program; (5) the environmental quality incentives program; (6) the wildlife habitat incentive program; (7) the agricultural management assistance program; Establishes: (1) the cooperative conservation partnership initiative; (2) the community forestry and open space conservation program; (3) an integrated pest management initiative; (4) a conservation initiative for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; (5) a conservation planning pilot program; and (6) a cooperative conservation educational assistance program. Authorizes a conservation [...]

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Latest Action: 03/20/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3383-3384)

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A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to simplify and improve the process of applying for student assistance, and for other purposes. 3/20/2007--Introduced. Financial Aid Form Simplification and Access Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise the process of applying for student assistance. Revises requirements for the simplified needs test to take into account dislocated workers and recipients of means-tested federal benefits. Directs the Secretary of Education to develop and use a simplified paper application form of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), to be called the EZ FAFSA, for students who meet the requirements of the automatic zero expected family contribution. Requires the Secretary to: (1) phase-out the paper form (the long form or full FAFSA) for students who do not meet the requirements for a EZ FAFZA; and (2) produce, distribute, and process common forms in electronic format, including a simplified [...]

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Latest Action: 06/05/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to ensure that every uninsured child in America has health insurance coverage, and for other purposes. 2/16/2007--Introduced. Kids Come First Act of 2007 - Amends title XIX of the Social Security Act (SSA) to give states the option to receive 100% Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentages (FMAPs) for medical assistance for children in poverty in exchange for expanded coverage of children in working poor families under Medicaid (SSA title XIX) or SCHIP (SSA title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance)). Eliminates the cap on SCHIP funding for states that expand eligibility for children.Gives states the option to: (1) provide wrap-around SCHIP coverage to children who have other health coverage; (2) enroll low-income children of state employees in SCHIP; (3) provide optional coverage of legal immigrant children under Medicaid and SCHIP; and (4) provide for passive renewal of eligibility for children under Medicaid [...]

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Latest Action: 03/27/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement.

Bill Text
To establish the Commission on Economic Indicators to conduct a study and submit a report containing recommendations concerning the appropriateness and accuracy of the methodology, calculations, and reporting used by the Government relating to certain economic indicators.

2/16/2007--Introduced.

Commission on Economic Indicators Act of 2007 - Establishes the Commission on Economic Indicators to study and report to Congress on: (1) economic statistics collected and reported by U.S. government agencies, including national income, employment and unemployment, wages, personal income, wealth, savings, debt, productivity, inflation, and international trade and capital flows; and (2) ways to improve the related statistical measurements.

Latest Action: 05/17/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2013, and for other purposes.

5/17/2007--Introduced.

Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act of 2007 - Extends and revises various agricultural programs, including programs respecting: (1) milk and dairy; (2) conservation security; (3) conservation reserve; (4) wetlands reserve; (5) environmental quality incentives; (6) farmland protection; (7) cooperative conservation partnership initiative; (8) wildlife habitat; (9) conservation loan guarantees; (10) market access; (11) food stamps; (12) farm and ranch profitability grants; (13) community forest and open space conservation; (14) healthy forests reserve; (15) biomass and renewable energy; (16) specialty crops, farmers' markets, and nutrition; (17) organic agriculture programs; (18) crop insurance; and (18) colony collapse disorder.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 09/24/2008 - Committee on Environment and Public Works. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Boxer. With written report No. 110-499. Minority views filed.

Bill Text
An original bill to restore the value of every American in environmental decisions, and for other purposes.
Latest Action: 04/17/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3160, S3161)

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A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve veterans' health care benefits, and for other purposes. 4/17/2008--Introduced. Veterans Health Care Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to contract to provide specialized residential care and rehabilitation services to a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom who suffers from a traumatic brain injury, has an accumulation of deficits in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living and, because of these deficits, would otherwise require nursing home admission even though such care would generally exceed the veteran's nursing needs. Directs the Secretary to provide full-time board-certified physicians and dentists the opportunity to continue their professional education through VA sponsored continuing education programs. Authorizes (currently, directs) the Secretary to reimburse such physicians or dentists up to $1,000 per year for continuing [...]

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Latest Action: 04/16/2008 - Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development. Hearings held.

Bill Text
A bill to reform the housing choice voucher program under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. 3/3/2008--Introduced. Section 8 Voucher Reform Act of 2008 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to revise requirements for public housing agency (PHA) inspections of each dwelling unit for which a housing assistance payment contract is established. Requires an initial inspection before any assistance payment is made. Allows such payments if failure to meet standards is a result only of non-life threatening conditions.Permits a PHA, in the case of projects receiving certain federal housing subsidies, to authorize occupancy before completion of an initial inspection.Requires biennial inspections (currently annual inspections) to determine compliance. Provides, upon a family's request, for interim inspections.Prescribes requirements for reviews and calculation of family income.Prescribes eligibility criteria for assistance based upon [...]

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Latest Action: 02/25/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1127)

Bill Text
A bill to respond to a medicare funding warning. 2/25/2008--Introduced. Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop and implement a system for encouraging nationwide adoption and use of interoperable electronic health records and to make available personal health records for Medicare beneficiaries; (2) develop and implement a plan for ensuring that, by the year 2013, quality measures are available and reported with respect to at least 50% of the care provided under the Medicare program; (3) design and implement a system under which a portion of Medicare payments that would otherwise be made to some or all classes of individuals and entities furnishing items or services to beneficiaries would be based on the quality and efficiency of their performance; (4) implement incentives for Medicare beneficiaries to use more efficient providers and preventive services known to reduce costs; and (5) use and release [...]

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Latest Action: 02/29/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Bill Text
To respond to a Medicare funding warning. 2/25/2008--Introduced. Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop and implement a system for encouraging nationwide adoption and use of interoperable electronic health records and to make available personal health records for Medicare beneficiaries; (2) develop and implement a plan for ensuring that, by the year 2013, quality measures are available and reported with respect to at least 50% of the care provided under the Medicare program; (3) design and implement a system under which a portion of Medicare payments that would otherwise be made to some or all classes of individuals and entities furnishing items or services to beneficiaries would be based on the quality and efficiency of their performance; (4) implement incentives for Medicare beneficiaries to use more efficient providers and preventive services known to reduce costs; and (5) use and release Medicare [...]

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Latest Action: 02/15/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance under authority of the order of the Senate of 02/14/2008.

Bill Text
A bill to provide relief for veterans with a disability rated as total.

2/15/2008--Introduced.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt veterans with a disability rated as total from the tax on social security benefits.

Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to amend federal housing regulations to exclude the disability and pension benefits of veterans with a disability rated as total from income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain public housing programs.

Latest Action: 02/12/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to ensure that deferred Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits that are received in a lump sum amount or in prospective monthly amounts, be excluded from consideration as annual income when determining eligibility for low-income housing programs.

2/12/2008--Introduced.

Fairness in Housing for Disabled Veterans Act - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 with respect to the determination of income, particularly low income, for purposes of eligibility for low-income housing programs.

Redefines "income" to exclude from consideration as annual income any deferred Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits that are received in a lump sum amount or in prospective monthly amounts.