Top Law and Government Legislation regarding 'Congressional hearings' in Federal Government

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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Calling on the Government of the United Kingdom to immediately establish a full, independent, and public judicial inquiry into the murder of Northern Ireland defense attorney Patrick Finucane, as recommended by Judge Peter Cory as part of the Weston Park Agreement, in order to move forward on the Northern Ireland peace process. 3/15/2007--Passed Senate without amendment.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on January 30, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Expresses deepest condolences to the family of Patrick Finucane on his death, commends their steadfast pursuit of justice in his brutal murder, and thanks his wife Geraldine and son Michael for their willingness to testify on this matter before committees of the House of Representatives. Supports Administration efforts in seeking full implementation of the Weston Park Agreement and establishment of [...]

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A bill to provide increased rail transportation security. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Rail Security Act of 2007 - Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a vulnerability assessment of freight and passenger rail transportation, and develop specific prioritized recommendations for improving rail security. Directs the Assistant Secretary to conduct a study on requiring security screening for passengers, baggage, and cargo on passenger trains. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to Amtrak for fire and life-safety improvements and infrastructure upgrades to tunnels on the Northeast Corridor. Directs Amtrak to submit to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) a plan to address the needs of families of passengers involved in rail passenger accidents. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to award grants to Amtrak for certain system-wide Amtrak, freight,[...]

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A bill to strengthen United States trade laws and for other purposes. 1/23/2007--Introduced. Strengthening America's Trade Laws Act - Allows, under specified conditions, certain U.S. persons supportive of the government's position before a dispute settlement panel or Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to participate in consultations and panel or Appellate Body proceedings. Establishes the Congressional Advisory Commission on WTO Dispute Settlement to provide advice to Congress on the operation of the WTO dispute settlement system. Amends the Uruguay Round Agreements Act to require congressional approval before any modification of an agency regulation or practice that has been adversely affected by a WTO decision. Directs the United States to negotiate with the WTO to determine clarification of its obligations under the Uruguay Round Agreement due to an adverse WTO decision if the United States, Congress, or Commission finds that such [...]

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Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the withholding of information relating to corruption in Iraq. 10/16/2007--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.) Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) as Congress considers the President's request for over $150 billion more for the war in Iraq it is essential that Congress and the people of the United States know the extent of corruption in the Iraqi government and whether corruption is fueling the insurgency; (2) it was wrong to retroactively classify portions of the report titled "Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq: U.S. Ministry Capacity Development Efforts Need an Overall Integrated Strategy to Guide Efforts and Manage Risk" which was released October 4, 2007, and other statements that do not [...]

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To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and expand certain rules with respect to housing in the GO Zones. 3/27/2007--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Katrina Housing Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) qualify certain buildings in the Gulf Opportunity Zone, the Rita Go Zone, and the Wilma GO Zone (GO Zones) placed in service before 2011 for the housing tax credit without regard to certain otherwise applicable restrictions if such buildings receive (or received) a state or local housing credit allocation in 2006, 2007, or 2008; (2) extend through 2010 the treatment of such Go Zones as difficult development areas for purposes of the increased housing tax credit; (3) exclude certain assistance provided under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (e.g., community development block grants), the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006, or the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations [...]

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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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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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A bill to provide for identification of misaligned currency, require action to correct the misalignment, and for other purposes. 7/31/2007--Reported to Senate amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2007 - (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) report biannually to Congress on international monetary policy and currency exchange rates; and (2) appear, if requested, before certain congressional committees to testify regarding such reports.Prescribes report contents, including: (1) an analysis of currency market developments and the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the currencies of major economies and trading partners of the United States; (2) a review of the economic and monetary policies of major economies and trading partners of the United States and an evaluation of how such policies impact currency exchange rates; and (3) a list of currencies designated as fundamentally misaligned [...]

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To authorize appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2008, and for other purposes. 5/9/2007--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 - Title I: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2008.Title II: Policy and Management Improvements - (Sec. 201) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to replace provisions establishing within DHS a Directorate of Border and Transportation Security with provisions establishing a Directorate for Policy, headed by an Under Secretary for Policy, which shall include: (1) the Office of the Private Sector; (2) the Victim Assistance Officer; (3) the Tribal Security Officer; and (4) the Border Community Liaison Officer.Makes the Under Secretary for Policy the principal policy advisor to the Secretary [...]

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