Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 07/10/2008 - Signed by President.

Bill Text
To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to establish a procedure for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, and for other purposes. 6/19/2008--Introduced. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 or FISA Amendments Act of 2008 - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to authorize the Attorney General (AG) and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to jointly authorize the targeting (electronic surveillance) of persons located outside the United States in order to acquire foreign intelligence information, subject to specified requirements, including: (1) prior certification to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Court); and (2) certain targeting and minimization procedures. Authorizes: (1) the AG and DNI to direct an electronic communication service provider (provider) to provide the government with all necessary assistance to accomplish the acquisition of information [...]

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Latest Action: 07/17/2008 - Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Bill Text
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. 5/5/2008--Introduced. Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 for the conduct of intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the: (1) Office of the Director of National Intelligence; (2) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); (3) Department of Defense (DOD); (4) Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA); (5) National Security Agency (NSA); (6) Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force; (7) Coast Guard; (8) Departments of State, the Treasury, Energy, and Justice; (9) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); (10) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); (11) National Reconnaissance Office; (12) National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; and (13) Department of Homeland Security.[...]

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Latest Action: 06/19/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
To strengthen efforts in the Department of Homeland Security to develop nuclear forensics capabilities to permit attribution of the source of nuclear material, and for other purposes. 6/7/2007--Introduced. Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) pursue bilateral and multilateral agreements to establish an international framework for determining the source of any confiscated nuclear material or weapon, as well as the source of any detonated weapon and the nuclear material used in such a weapon; (2) develop protocols for the dissemination of sensitive information relating to nuclear materials and samples of controlled nuclear materials to the extent required by such agreements; and (3) develop expedited protocols for the dissemination of sensitive information needed to publicly identify the source of a nuclear detonation.Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include within the mission of the Domestic [...]

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Latest Action: 07/07/2008 - Committee on Finance. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Baucus. With written report No. 110-408. Additional views filed.

Bill Text
An original bill to impose sanctions on Iran and for other purposes. 7/7/2008--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.) Iran Sanctions Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Expresses the sense of Congress concerning a variety of existing and proposed sanctions against Iran. (Sec. 4) States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing the President to use military force against Iran. (Sec. 5) Defines specified terms. (Sec. 6) Amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to expand the definition of "person" to include: (1) a financial institution, insurer, underwriter, guarantor, or any other business organization, including any foreign subsidiary, parent, or affiliate of one of the foregoing; and (2) an export credit agency that is a governmental entity operating [...]

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Latest Action: 06/03/2008 - Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 758.

Bill Text
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 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, to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for the protection of child custody arrangements for parents who are members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation, and for other purposes. 3/31/2008--Introduced. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2009. Authorizes appropriations to DOD for: (1) procurement, including for aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, and shipbuilding and conversion; (2) the Rapid Acquisition Fund; (3) the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund; (4) Defense Production Act purchases; (5) research, development, test, and evaluation; (6) operation [...]

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Latest Action: 06/02/2008 - Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4894)

Bill Text
A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability. 6/2/2008--Introduced. Declares that: (1) preventing the government of Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability through economic, political, and diplomatic means is vital to U.S. national security; and (2) nothing in this resolution authorizes the use of force against Iran. Urges the President to use his authority to impose sanctions on: (1) Iranian banks engaged in proliferation activities or the support of terrorist groups; (2) international banks which conduct financial transactions with sanctioned Iranian banks; (3) energy companies with large investments in the Iranian petroleum or natural gas sector; and (4) all companies which do business with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Demands that the President lead an international effort to increase pressure on Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities, including by banning the [...]

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Latest Action: 01/16/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Bill Text
Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not initiate military action against Iran without first obtaining authorization from Congress.

1/16/2007--Introduced.

States congressional belief that: (1) initiating military action against Iran without congressional approval does not fall within the President's "Commander-in-Chief" powers under the Constitution; and (2) seeking congressional authority prior to taking military action against Iran is not discretionary, but a legal and constitutional requirement.

Rejects any suggestion that P.L. 107-40 (the authorization of force resolution approved in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001) or P.L. 107-243 (the authorization of force resolution approved by Congress to go to war with Iraq) extends to authorizing military action against Iran, including over its nuclear program.

Latest Action: 02/05/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

Bill Text
Recognizing the dangers posed by nuclear weapons and calling on the President to engage in nonproliferation strategies designed to eliminate these weapons of mass destruction from United States and worldwide arsenals. 1/16/2007--Introduced. Requests the President to inform Congress and the Secretary General of the United Nations regarding U.S. efforts and measures taken with respect to implementation and observance of Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and certain U.N. resolutions calling for U.S. and world nuclear disarmament. Calls on the President to implement and observe all NPT obligations and commitments and to revise national policies on nuclear weapons accordingly. Urges the President, in the interests of protecting and advancing human, national, and global security, to: (1) declare that the United States will not use nuclear weapons first, and that pending their elimination, such weapons serve only to deter a [...]

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Latest Action: 02/15/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2113)

Bill Text
A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not initiate military action against Iran without first obtaining authorization from Congress.

2/15/2007--Introduced.

Affirms that: (1) initiating military action against Iran without congressional approval does not fall within the President's "Commander-in-Chief" powers under the Constitution; and (2) seeking congressional authority prior to taking military action against Iran is not discretionary, but a legal and constitutional requirement.

Rejects any suggestion that P.L. 107-40 (the authorization of force resolution approved in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001) or P.L. 107-243 (the authorization of force resolution approved by Congress to go to war with Iraq) extends to authorizing military action against Iran, including over its nuclear program.

Latest Action: 01/09/2007 - Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Bill Text
A bill to improve authorities to address urgent nonproliferation crises and United States nonproliferation operations.

1/8/2007--Introduced.

Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Act of 2007 - Amends the Soviet Nuclear Threat Reduction Act of 1991, the Cooperative Threat Reduction Act of 1993, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 to repeal specified restrictions on the use of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program funds and activities.

Amends the Freedom for Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act of 1992 to make specified funding requirements respecting independent countries of the former Soviet Union inapplicable to CTR programs.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 07/07/2008 - Committee on Finance. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Baucus. With written report No. 110-408. Additional views filed.

Bill Text
An original bill to impose sanctions on Iran and for other purposes. 7/7/2008--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.) Iran Sanctions Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Expresses the sense of Congress concerning a variety of existing and proposed sanctions against Iran. (Sec. 4) States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing the President to use military force against Iran. (Sec. 5) Defines specified terms. (Sec. 6) Amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to expand the definition of "person" to include: (1) a financial institution, insurer, underwriter, guarantor, or any other business organization, including any foreign subsidiary, parent, or affiliate of one of the foregoing; and (2) an export credit agency that is a governmental entity operating [...]

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Latest Action: 07/10/2008 - Signed by President.

Bill Text
To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to establish a procedure for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, and for other purposes. 6/19/2008--Introduced. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 or FISA Amendments Act of 2008 - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to authorize the Attorney General (AG) and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to jointly authorize the targeting (electronic surveillance) of persons located outside the United States in order to acquire foreign intelligence information, subject to specified requirements, including: (1) prior certification to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Court); and (2) certain targeting and minimization procedures. Authorizes: (1) the AG and DNI to direct an electronic communication service provider (provider) to provide the government with all necessary assistance to accomplish the acquisition of information [...]

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Latest Action: 06/02/2008 - Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4894)

Bill Text
A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability. 6/2/2008--Introduced. Declares that: (1) preventing the government of Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability through economic, political, and diplomatic means is vital to U.S. national security; and (2) nothing in this resolution authorizes the use of force against Iran. Urges the President to use his authority to impose sanctions on: (1) Iranian banks engaged in proliferation activities or the support of terrorist groups; (2) international banks which conduct financial transactions with sanctioned Iranian banks; (3) energy companies with large investments in the Iranian petroleum or natural gas sector; and (4) all companies which do business with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Demands that the President lead an international effort to increase pressure on Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities, including by banning the [...]

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