Law and Government Legislation regarding 'Caribbean area' in Federal Government

Affordable Footwear Act of 2007 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the elimination of duty on certain imported footwear would provide significant benefit to U.S. consumers, particularly lower-income families.

Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to provide for the duty-free treatment of certain footwear (including children's shoes) made of rubber or plastics that are imported into the United States.

Amends the Caribbean Basic Economic Recovery Act to provide footwear imported directly from Haiti into the United States with the same preferential treatment that is provided to certain imported footwear under the Dominican Republic-Central American-United States Free Trade Agreement.

Affordable Footwear Act of 2007 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the elimination of duty on certain imported footwear would provide significant benefit to U.S. consumers, particularly lower-income families.

Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to provide for the duty-free treatment of certain footwear (including children's shoes) made of rubber or plastics that are imported into the United States.

Amends the Caribbean Basic Economic Recovery Act to provide footwear imported directly from Haiti into the United States with the same preferential treatment that is provided to certain imported footwear under the Dominican Republic-Central American-United States Free Trade Agreement.

U.S. and Costa Rica Trade Cooperation Act - Amends the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to make permanent the extension of temporary duty-free treatment of certain textile and apparel articles manufactured in a beneficiary country (particularly, Costa Rica) and imported into the United States.

Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to permit rest and recuperation travel for Foreign Service members and family members to U.S. territories, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Specifies that required leave based upon continuous service abroad may be taken in the United States or its territories, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (Current law refers to the United States, its territories and possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.)

Puerto Rico Work and Empowerment Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make residents of Puerto Rico eligible for the earned income tax credit.

Virgin Islands Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a reduction of taxes on distributions from certain retirement savings plans designated as being under investment by the Virgin Islands Investment Program for at least 30 years. Defines "Virgin Islands Investment Program" for purposes of this Act as a fund with managed amounts of less than $50 billion. Imposes a 1% annual tax on managed funds to benefit Virgin Island infrastructure development.

U.S. Participation in Cuban Energy Exploration Act of 2007 - Authorizes U.S. persons to: (1) engage in the exploration for and extraction of hydrocarbon resources from any portion of a foreign exclusive economic zone that is contiguous to the U.S. exclusive economic zone; (2) export without license authority all equipment necessary for such activities; and (3) import such extracted hydrocarbon resources into the United States.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to authorize under a general license specified travel-related transactions for travel to, from, or within Cuba in connection with such activities.

Permits statues honoring deceased citizens of U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) to be placed in Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol. Limits such statues to one per jurisdiction.

Ocean Thermal Energy Tax and Energy Credits Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the tax credit for electricity produced from renewable resources and the investment energy tax credit for ocean thermal energy conversion.

Extends eligibility for the tax credit for production of electricity from ocean thermal energy conversion resources to transactions taking place in: (1) Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico; (2) the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau; or (3) any U.S. installation worldwide, including military bases, embassies, and other facilities.

Judicial Powers Restoration Act of 2007 - Amends the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 to repeal the prohibition against U.S. courts recognizing, enforcing, or otherwise validating any assertion of rights by a designated Cuban national of a mark, trade name, or commercial name that was used in connection with a business or assets that were confiscated by the Cuban government.

Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to issue regulations as necessary to repeal such provisions, including removing or revoking any applicable prohibition on transactions or payments.

Supports the goals and ideals of the First Summit of Caribbean Ministers of Health.

Encourages: (1) all international agencies, nongovernmental agencies, private voluntary organizations, governments, and individuals to recognize this historic event; and (2) the continued coordination of the nations of the region to combat regional health crises.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) to extend "deemed" enrollment under part B Medicare to residents of Puerto Rico.

Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Recognizes the second anniversary of observing that day.

Encourages: (1) state and local governments to recognize that day, publicize its importance, and encourage Caribbean Americans, Caribbean-born individuals, and all people in the United States and its territories to know their status and undergo HIV testing; and (2) media organizations to carry messages in support of that day.

Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility Closure Act of 2007 - Directs the President to close the Department of Defense (DOD) detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Prohibits (with exceptions) the use of funds appropriated for FY2007 or FY2008 for such facility or for the detention at such facility of any foreign national who was detained there on or after March 31, 2007.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Recognizes the historic ties between the peoples of the United States and the Caribbean.

Commends the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for holding the Conference of the Caribbean, and welcomes the delegation of Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Foreign Ministers to Washington, DC.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Supports the goals and ideals of Caribbean-American Heritage Month (in the month of June).

Affirms that: (1) the contributions of Caribbean-Americans are a significant part of the history, progress, and heritage of the United States; and (2) the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States enriches and strengthens the nation.

Amends the definition of "period of war" to extend eligibility for veterans' pension benefits to those veterans who served during specified time periods in the Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Granada, or Panama.

Ethanol Tariff Extension and Caribbean Basin Initiative Investigation Act - Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend the tariff duty on ethanol through January 1, 2011.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study, and report the results to Congress, on the source and quantity of ethanol imported into the United States from beneficiary countries designated under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act.

Honors Ellen May Tower (who, while serving as a U.S. Army nurse during the Spanish-American War, became the first Army nurse to die on foreign soil) during Women's History Month.

Urges: (1) the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), the Inter-American Development Bank, and other multilateral financial institutions to cancel Haiti's debts to such institutions; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct U.S. Executive Directors at such institutions to use U.S. influence to accomplish this goal.

Congratulates Wyclef Jean for being named Roving Ambassador for Haiti.

Puerto Rico Economic Stimulus Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make residents of Puerto Rico eligible for the earned income tax credit. Phases in the full amount of such credit between 2008 and 2012.

Calls for the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend, and the Postmaster General to issue, a commemorative postage stamp in honor of Luis A. Ferre.

Amends the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, as amended by the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2006, to extend the date by which the President must determine whether Haiti is meeting specified political, economic, social, and security requirements in order for Haiti to qualify for preferential trade provisions under such Act.

Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2007 - Directs the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission to conduct a plebiscite in Puerto Rico during the 111th Congress, giving voters the option to vote for continued U.S. territorial status or for a path toward a constitutionally viable permanent nonterritorial status. Provides for subsequent procedures, depending on ballot results.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to allocate certain funds for the self-determination process.

Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to make Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic eligible for assistance to combat HIV/AIDS.

Cuban-American Family Rights Restoration Act - Prohibits that President from regulating or prohibiting: (1) travel to or from Cuba by any U.S. person; or (2) transactions (baggage, living expenses, personal use goods or services, normal banking transactions) incident to travel for the purpose of visiting a close relative who is a national of Cuba.

Directs the President to rescind all regulations that so regulate or prohibit such travel or transactions.

Export Freedom to Cuba Act of 2007 - Prohibits the President from regulating or prohibiting travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions ordinarily incident to such travel relating to: (1) accompanied personal baggage; (2) payment of living expenses and the acquisition of personal-use goods or services; (3) travel arrangements; (4) nonscheduled air, sea, or land voyage transactions (such provision does not permit the carriage of articles other than accompanied baggage into Cuba or the United States); and (5) normal banking transactions.

States that such provision does not: (1) restrict presidential authority in time of war or armed hostilities between the United States and Cuba, or of imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of U.S. travelers; and (2) authorize U.S. importation of personal consumption goods acquired in Cuba.

Caribbean National Forest Preservation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire, by donation or purchase, from willing sellers tracts of land intended to assist in the consolidation of lands within or adjacent to the boundaries of the Caribbean National Forest in Puerto Rico. Requires the Secretary to adjust the boundaries of the Caribbean National Forest to include acquired lands.

Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to permit Puerto Rico to qualify for federal reimbursement of emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens.