Top Legislation - View All
Also tagged in: Authorization, Budgets, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Criminal investigation, Criminal justice, Executive departments, Finance, Fines (Penalties), Foreign exchange, Futures trading, Government information, Government paperwork, Governmental investigations, Independent regulatory commissions, International finance, Jurisdiction, Law, Margins (Security trading), Market manipulation, Options (Contract), Prosecution, Securities fraud, Securities regulation, Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Latest Action: 11/19/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. Bill TextTo amend the Commodity Exchange Act to provide the Commodity Futures Trading Commission authority over off-exchange retail foreign currency transactions, and for other purposes. 4/10/2008--Introduced. CFTC Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to revise Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jurisdiction over certain agreements, contracts, and transactions in retail foreign currency. Extends coverage to certain future commissions merchants (and affiliated persons) and retail foreign exchange dealers. Requires them to register with the CFTC in order to solicit or accept orders from any person that is not an eligible contract participant in connection with such agreements, contracts, or transactions. Directs the CFTC to maintain a liaison with the Department of Justice to coordinate civil and criminal investigations and prosecutions of violations of the Act. Revises the prohibition against contracts designed to defraud or mislead.[...] show full description
Also tagged in: Africa (Sub-Saharan), American investments, Arms sales, Budgets, Business, Business ethics, Civil service retirement, Colleges, Commemorations, Commercial blacklisting, Congress, Congress and foreign policy, Congressional investigations, Congressional oversight, Congressional reporting requirements, Congressional tributes, Corporate accountability, Corporate reorganizations, Criminal justice, Education, Energy, Foreign policy, Genocide, Government contractors, Government employees, Government information, Government procurement, Government publicity, Higher education, International affairs, International finance, Local finance, Mines and mineral resources, Mining engineering, National security, Natural resources, Pensions, Petroleum, Petroleum refineries, Pipelines, President and foreign policy, Presidents, Prospecting, Public contracts, Radar, Sanctions (International law), State and local government, State finance, State-sponsored terrorism, Subsidiary corporations, Sudan, Technology, Technology transfer, Trade, Transportation, Weapons systems
Latest Action: 08/03/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Bill TextTo require the identification of companies that conduct business operations in Sudan, to prohibit United States Government contracts with such companies, and for other purposes. 7/31/2007--Passed House amended. (There is 1 other summary) Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007 - (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to ensure the publication every six months in the Federal Register of a list of all persons (as defined by this Act) who have a direct investment in or are conducting business operations in Sudan's power production, mineral extraction, oil-related, or military equipment industries. Sets forth excluded business operations, including operations with: (1) the regional government of southern Sudan; (2) maginalized populations of Sudan; and (3) peacekeeping or humanitarian organizations. (Sec. 4) States that it is U.S. policy to support state and local efforts to divest funds from, or restrict investments in, companies [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Advice and consent of the Senate, Air pollution, Air pollution control, Alternative energy sources, Biomass energy, Business, Carbon cycle, Carbon dioxide, Climate change, Coal, Cogeneration of electric power and heat, Congress, Congressional delegations, Congressional reporting requirements, Cost effectiveness, Developing countries, Economic impact statements, Economic policy, Electric power plants, Electric power production, Emissions trading, Energy, Energy conservation, Energy consumption, Energy efficiency, Environmental assessment, Environmental law enforcement, Environmental monitoring, Environmental protection, Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental research, Environmental technology, Executive departments, Executive reorganization, Finance, Fluorocarbons, Foreign policy, Fuel cells, Gasoline, Geology, Geothermal resources, Government information, Government publicity, Government vehicles, Independent regulatory commissions, Industrial pollution, International affairs, International environmental cooperation, Investors, Judicial review, Law, Marine resources, Methane, Motor vehicle pollution control, Negotiations, Nitrogen oxides, Ocean energy resources, Public contracts, Science policy, Securities and Exchange Commission, Securities regulation, Senate, Solar energy, Technological innovations, Technology, Technology assessment, Tidal power, Trade, Treaties, United Nations, Wind power
Latest Action: 06/13/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7625-7626) Bill TextA bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, and for other purposes. 1/16/2007--Introduced. Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to set forth provisions concerning global warming pollution emissions. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) set milestones to reduce the aggregate net levels of emissions (authorizes EPA to establish market-based programs to achieve such reduction); (2) require each fleet of automobiles sold by a manufacturer beginning in model year 2016 to meet emission standards; (3) contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study the potential contribution of the non-highway portion of the transportation sector towards meeting the emission reduction goal; (4) require that electric generation units meet an emission standard that is not higher than the emission rate of a new combined cycle natural gas generating unit; and (5) establish a low-carbon generation trading program. [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Air pollution, Air pollution control, Alcohol as fuel, Alternative energy sources, Arctic Ocean, Arctic regions, Automobile engines, Automobile industry, Biological diversity, Budgets, Business, Carbon cycle, Carbon dioxide, Climate change, Cogeneration of electric power and heat, Congress, Congressional reporting requirements, Coral reefs, Department of Commerce, Droughts, Economic growth, Economic impact statements, Economic policy, Ecosystem management, Electric power plants, Electric power production, Electric utilities, Electric vehicles, Emissions trading, Energy, Energy conservation, Energy consumption, Energy efficiency, Environmental monitoring, Environmental protection, Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental research, Executive departments, Executive reorganization, Fines (Penalties), Floods, Fluorocarbons, Foreign policy, Fuel cells, Fuel consumption, Gasoline, Government information, Government paperwork, Government publicity, Government trust funds, Governmental investigations, Greenhouse gases, Hurricanes, Hydrology, Income tax, International affairs, International environmental cooperation, Law, Marine ecology, Marine resources, Methane, Motor vehicle pollution control, Natural resources, Negotiations, Nitrogen oxides, Petroleum industry, Research and development, Science policy, Sea level, Securities and Exchange Commission, Securities regulation, Service stations, Standards, Storms, Sulphur, Tax credits, Taxation, Technological innovations, Technology, Technology transfer, Tornadoes, Transportation, Treaties, Tsunamis, Water resources, Weather
Latest Action: 02/01/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Bill TextA bill to amend the Clean Air Act to establish an economy-wide global warming pollution emission cap-and-trade program to assist the economy in transitioning to new clean energy technologies, to protect employees and affected communities, to protect companies and consumers from significant increases in energy costs, and for other purposes. 2/1/2007--Introduced. Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) promulgate regulations necessary to reduce the aggregate net level of global warming pollution emissions; and (2) establish a market-based emissions cap and global warming pollutants trading program. Establishes the Climate Reinvestment Fund. Requires EPA to: (1) establish, and revise every five years, standards for passenger vehicle emissions; and (2) research global climate change standards and processes. Sets forth requirements for retail electricity suppliers [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Actions and defenses, Administrative procedure, Agriculture, Business, Business records, Coal, Commodity exchanges, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Commodity prices, Criminal justice, Derivative securities, Diesel motor, Electricity, Embezzlement, Energy, Energy prices, Executive departments, Finance, Fines (Penalties), Futures trading, Gasoline, Government information, Government paperwork, Independent regulatory commissions, Larceny, Law, Market manipulation, Natural gas, Petroleum, Propane, Restrictive trade practices, Securities fraud, Securities industry, Securities regulation
Latest Action: 02/02/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. Bill TextTo regulate over-the-counter trading of energy derivatives. 1/19/2007--Introduced. Prevent Unfair Manipulation of Prices Act of 2007 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to extend its jurisdiction to certain: (1) "included energy transactions" traded on an electronic trading facility; and (2) certain energy commodities involved in over-the-counter transactions. Sets forth reporting and recordkeeping requirements for: (1) certain contract participants that enter into or execute "included energy transactions;" and (2) electronic trading facilities for energy commodities. Extends prohibitions against fraudulent transactions to: (1) filling an order by offset against the other person's order; and (2) knowingly and willfully becoming the buyer in respect to another person's selling order, or the seller in respect to another person's buying order, without the other person's prior consent. Empowers the Commodities Futures Trading Commission [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Accounting, Administrative procedure, Associations, institutions, etc., Auditing, Business, Business records, Congress, Congressional committees (House), Congressional reporting requirements, Congressional witnesses, Corporate finance, Executive departments, Federal officials, Finance, Financial statements, Government employees, Government information, Government paperwork, House Financial Services, Independent regulatory commissions, Interactive media, Investors, Law, Nonprofit organizations, Securities and Exchange Commission, Social services, Standards, Technology
Latest Action: 02/28/2007 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Bill TextTo require annual oral testimony before the Financial Services Committee of the Chairperson or a designee of the Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, relating to their efforts to promote transparency in financial reporting. 2/27/2007--Passed House 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.) Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act of 2007 - Requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to provide oral testimony by their respective Chairpersons (or a designee), beginning in 2007, and annually for five years, to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives on their efforts to reduce the complexity [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Accounting, Administrative procedure, Associations, institutions, etc., Auditing, Business, Business records, Congress, Congressional committees (House), Congressional committees (Senate), Congressional reporting requirements, Congressional witnesses, Corporate finance, Executive departments, Federal officials, Finance, Financial statements, Government employees, Government information, Government paperwork, House Financial Services, Independent regulatory commissions, Interactive media, Investors, Law, Nonprofit organizations, Securities and Exchange Commission, Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Social services, Standards, Technology
Latest Action: 03/09/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2973) Bill TextA bill to require annual testimony before Congress by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, relating to efforts to promote transparency in financial reporting. 3/9/2007--Introduced. Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act of 2007 - Requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to provide oral testimony by their respective chairpersons (or a designee), beginning in 2007, and annually for five years, to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives on their efforts to reduce the complexity in financial reporting, so that investors are provided with more accurate and clear financial information.
Also tagged in: Accounting, Auditing, Business, Competition, Conflict of interests, Congress, Congressional reporting requirements, Corporate finance, Corporation reports, Europe, Finance, Financial statements, Governmental investigations, Investors, Legislation, Securities regulation, Small business, Standards, United Kingdom
Latest Action: 03/14/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Bill TextA bill to reform certain provisions of section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, to make compliance with that section more efficient, with the goal of maintaining United States capital market global competitiveness. 3/14/2007--Introduced. Competitive and Open Markets That Protect and Enhance the Treatment of Entrepreneurs Act of 2007, or the Compete Act of 2007 - Amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Sarbanes-Oxley) to revise requirements for the internal control assessment component of a securities issuer's annual report.Requires the attestation and report by a registered public accounting firm on an issuer's management assessment of its internal control structure and procedures to focus upon the process and system used by management to identify and manage risks, identify and implement key controls, and come to a conclusion on the effectiveness of the internal controls over financial reporting. Prohibits an auditor's attestation and report from including [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Accounting, Actions and defenses, Administrative fees, Administrative procedure, Advice and consent of the Senate, Auditing, Budgets, Business, Congress, Corporate management, Cost control, Executive departments, Finance, Financial statements, Independent regulatory commissions, Law, Nonprofit organizations, Ombudsman, Presidential appointments, Presidents, Risk, Securities and Exchange Commission, Social services
Latest Action: 04/13/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises. Bill TextTo reduce the unintended costs and burdens that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 imposes on United States businesses, while maintaining that Act's goals of bolstering confidence in the integrity of publicly held companies. 2/14/2007--Introduced. Amend Misinterpreted Excessive Regulation In Corporate America Act - Amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to direct the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to appoint an ombudsman to act as a liaison between the Board and any registered public accounting firm or issuer regarding: (1) issues or disputes concerning the preparation or issuance of any audit report with respect to that issuer; and (2) problems resulting from Board regulatory activities, particularly implementation of management assessment of internal controls. Revises requirements governing appointment of Board members. Provides for Presidential appointment of Board members, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Declares that Congress reserves [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Access to health care, Affordable housing, Aged, Agricultural subsidies, Agriculture, Air pollution, Armed forces, Associations, institutions, etc., Awards, medals, prizes, Boycott, Budget deficits, Budgets, Business, Business and social problems, Business cycles, Business ethics, Campaign funds, Capital investments, Cartels, Child labor, Children, Children's rights, Civil liberties, Civil rights, Civil service retirement, Collective bargaining, Commemorations, Communications, Competition, Conferences, Congress, Congressional budget, Congressional committees, Congressional oversight, Congressional reporting requirements, Congressional voting, Consumer protection, Consumers, Conversion of industries, Cooperative societies, Corporate accountability, Corporate corruption, Corporate mergers, Corporation directors, Corruption in politics, Crime prevention, Criminal justice, Criminal justice information, Data banks, Day care, Defense budgets, Defense economics, Defense industries, Depressed areas, Development credit institutions, Disabled, Economic concentration, Economic development, Economic growth, Economic policy, Economic security, Education, Election administration, Elections, Electric power failures, Electronic government information, Employee health benefits, Employee rights, Employee vacations, Employment, Employment of the disabled, Energy, Energy conservation, Environmental health, Environmental protection, Executives, Families, Family farms, Family leave, Farm income, Farmers, Federal budgets, Federal reserve system, Federally-guaranteed loans, Finance, Food, Foreign aid, Foreign loans, Foreign policy, Free enterprise, Freedom of information, Full employment policies, Fund raising, Government contractors, Government employees, Government information, Government lending, Government paperwork, Government publicity, Grants-in-aid, Hazardous substances, Health insurance, Health policy, Hours of labor, Household workers, Housing, Housing subsidies, Human rights, Humanities, Income distribution, Income tax, Industrial pollution, Inflation, Infrastructure, Infrastructure (Economics), Interest rates, International affairs, International environmental cooperation, International finance, International labor activities, Investment guaranty insurance, Investment of public funds, Investments, Job training, Labor, Labor disputes, Labor productivity, Labor unions, Leave of absence, Legislation, Legislative resolutions, Life expectancy, Manufacturing industries, Medicaid, Medical care, Medical statistics, Medicare, Medicine, Mines and mineral resources, Minimum wages, Minorities, Monetary policy, Monopolies, Natural resources, Nonprofit organizations, Occupational health and safety, Occupational retraining, Old age, survivors and disability insurance, Parent and child, Part-time employment, Pension funds, Pensions, Pollution, Pollution control, Potable water, Poverty, Presidential messages, Presidents, Preventive medicine, Price fixing, Prices, Public contracts, Public corruption, Public debt, Public service employment, Public utilities, Punishment, Quality of life, Quality of work life, Racism, Research, Residential rehabilitation, Restrictive trade practices, Right of property, Roosevelt Administration, Salaries, Science policy, Self-employed, Sex discrimination, Small business, Social security, Social services, Soil conservation, Standard of living, State and local government, Strikes, Student employment, Sustainable development, Tax expenditures, Taxation, Technology, Torture, Trade, Transportation, Treaties, Unemployment, Unemployment insurance, United Nations, Violence, Volunteer workers, Voting, Voting machines, Voting rights, Wages, Water conservation, Water pollution, Water resources, Wealth, Welfare, White collar crime, Women, Women's rights, Working poor
Latest Action: 06/05/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. Bill TextTo establish a living wage, jobs for all policy for all peoples in the United States and its territories, and for other purposes. 2/14/2007--Introduced. A Living Wage, Jobs for All Act - Declares that Congress affirms the basic economic rights and responsibilities under the 1944 "Economic Bill of Rights," while updating and extending it to include: (1) certain rights to decent jobs, income security for individuals unable to work for pay, a decent living for farm families, freedom from monopolies, decent housing, adequate health services, Social Security in old age, sickness, accidental injury, and unemployment, and education and work training; and (2) certain other rights relating to collective bargaining, a safe working environment, information on trends in pollution sources and products and processes that affect the well-being of workers throughout the world, voting and campaigning, and personal security. Requires corporations registered with the Securities and Exchange [...] show full description
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Latest Legislation - View All
Also tagged in: Business, Coal, Energy, Energy development, Finance, Gas industry, Government information, Government paperwork, Government publicity, Metals, Mines and mineral resources, Natural gas, Natural resources, Oil well drilling, Petroleum, Petroleum industry, Prospecting, Securities regulation
Latest Action: 07/31/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Bill TextA bill to require, for the benefit of shareholders, the disclosure of payments to foreign governments for the extraction of natural resources, to allow such shareholders more appropriately to determine associated risks. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to instruct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require specified annual reports of an issuer to disclose the total payments made to an agency or instrumentality of a foreign government: (1) for natural resources in a foreign country; or (2) in connection with the extraction of natural resources from a foreign country. Requires compilation of such information so that it is accessible by the public directly from the SEC website without separately accessing the annual reports of each issuer filing the information on the EDGAR system.
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Agricultural prices, Agriculture, Business, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Derivative securities, Energy, Energy prices, Executive departments, Federal advisory bodies, Federal employees, Finance, Futures trading, Government employees, Government information, Government paperwork, Governmental investigations, Independent regulatory commissions, International finance, Law, Recruiting of employees, Securities industry, Securities regulation, Swaps (Finance), Trade
Latest Action: 10/02/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Bill TextTo amend the Commodity Exchange Act to bring greater transparency and accountability to commodity markets, and for other purposes. 7/24/2008--Introduced. Commodity Markets Transparency and Accountability Act of 2008 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to define "energy commodity." Prohibits the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from permitting a foreign board of trade to provide its U.S-located members with access to the CFTC electronic trading system and order matching system for energy or agricultural commodities unless such board meets requirements similar to those imposed upon U.S. exchanges. Subjects swap transactions, transactions for agricultural and energy commodities, and large traders in over-the-counter contracts to reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Directs the Commission to: (1) set position limits for any one person with respect to designated contract markets, derivative transaction execution facilities, and electronic [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Brokers, Collection of accounts, Confidential communications, Congress, Congressional reporting requirements, Congressional witnesses, Criminal justice, Debtor and creditor, Federal preemption, Finance, Fines (Penalties), Fingerprints, Futures trading, Government securities, Investment advisers, Investors, Law, Margins (Security trading), Options (Contract), Securities fraud, Securities industry, Securities regulation, State and local government, State laws, Stock exchanges, Subpoena
Latest Action: 09/12/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Bill TextTo amend the Federal securities laws to enhance the effectiveness of the Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement, corporation finance, trading and markets, investment management, and examination programs, and for other purposes. 7/16/2008--Introduced. Securities Act of 2008 - Amends the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and the Investment Company Act of 1940 to authorize the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to assess and impose civil penalties in a cease and desist proceeding. Creates a three tiers of increasing civil penalties for acts or omissions of increasing gravity. Authorizes the SEC to censure, place limitations on the activities or functions of, or investigate any person who at the time of specified alleged misconduct was: (1) a member or employee of the the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board; (2) a person associated or seeking to become associated with a government securities [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Business, Business records, Derivative securities, Executive departments, Finance, Government information, Government paperwork, Governmental investigations, Independent regulatory commissions, Law, Loan defaults, Risk, Securities, Securities and Exchange Commission, Securities industry, Securities regulation
Latest Action: 07/14/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. Bill TextTo direct the Securities and Exchange Commission to establish both a process by which asset-backed instruments can be deemed eligible for NRSRO ratings and an initial list of such eligible asset-backed instruments. 7/14/2008--Introduced. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revise regulations relating to "asset-backed securities" to define an "NRSRO asset-backed securities" subset, which shall: (1) be the only asset-backed securities for which a credit rating agency may register and issue ratings as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO); and (2) be restricted to securities representing interests in pools of assets whose performance can be evaluated based on a documented history of predictable performance of similar assets, and which are contained in structures which also have a documented history of predictable performance. Requires the revision of such regulations [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Business, Commodity exchanges, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Energy, Executive departments, Finance, Foreign policy, Futures trading, Governmental investigations, Independent regulatory commissions, International affairs, International cooperation, Law, Margins (Security trading), Petroleum
Latest Action: 06/24/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6021-6022) Bill TextA bill to amend the Commodity Exchange Act to provide oil and gas price relief by requiring the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to take action to end excessive speculation, and for other purposes. 6/24/2008--Introduced. End Oil Speculation Act of 2008 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to direct the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to eliminate manipulation and excessive speculation on petroleum futures markets by investigation, regulation, and rulemaking, while distinguishing between: (1) transactions by commercial producers and purchasers (as well as counterparties) involving actual physical petroleum products for future delivery ("legitimate hedge trading"); and (2) all other trading. Instructs the CFTC to review and: (1) revoke or modify prior action regarding certain transactions, participants, or petroleum futures market activity that is not a legitimate hedge trade; and (2) consider revoking results of prior actions that have the effect [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Armed forces, Budgets, Business, Business ethics, Conflict of interests, Congress, Congressional reporting requirements, Corporate accountability, Corporation taxes, Data banks, Defense economics, Defense procurement, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Executive departments, Federal budgets, Finance, Financial statements, Government contractors, Government information, Government paperwork, Government publicity, Governmental investigations, Income tax, Inspectors general, Internet, Law, Office of Management and Budget, Performance measurement, Politics and government, Public contracts, Tax evasion, Taxation, Taxation of foreign income, Technology, Web sites
Latest Action: 06/16/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Bill TextA bill to provide for greater accountability and transparency in the Federal contracting process, and for other purposes. 6/16/2008--Introduced. Oversight of the Performance and Effectiveness of National Contracting Act of 2008 - States the policy of the U.S. government concerning the award of contracts or grants to companies organized in an offshore secrecy jurisdiction to avoid federal tax obligations. Prohibits such awards. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Secretary of the Treasury to adopt and revise regulations and guidance as necessary to effect this prohibition.Prohibits for one year (with exceptions) entry into or approval of any contract or subcontract with a company that files periodic reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and that has failed to certify the most recently due financial report as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.Prohibits award of a contract with an executive agency unless [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Bonds, Communications, Executive departments, Finance, Government information, Government securities, Independent regulatory commissions, Investment guaranty insurance, Investors, Law, Money market funds, Performance measurement, Risk, Securities, Securities and Exchange Commission, Securities regulation, Signs and symbols
Latest Action: 09/09/2008 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 110-835. Bill TextTo ensure uniform and accurate credit rating of municipal bonds and provide for a review of the municipal bond insurance industry. 6/19/2008--Introduced. Municipal Bond Fairness Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require each registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NSRO) (credit rating agency) to: (1) establish and maintain credit ratings with respect to securities and money market instruments designed to assess the risk that investors in such instruments may not receive payment in accordance with their terms of issuance; and (2) define clearly any rating symbol and apply it consistently. Prohibits the SEC from imposing any requirement that prevents an NSRO from establishing ratings that are complementary to such mandatory ratings and that are created to measure a discrete aspect of risk.Directs the SEC to establish performance measures to determine when to review [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Actions and defenses, Administrative procedure, Agricultural pollution, Agricultural research, Agriculture, Air conditioning, Air pollution, Air pollution control, Airports, Alternative energy sources, Animals, Armed forces, Auctions, Automobile industry, Automobile repair, Biomass energy, Budgets, Building laws, Business, Carbon cycle, Carbon dioxide, Cellulose, Clean coal technology, Climate change, Coal, Coal mines and mining, Coastal zone, Colleges, Commercial aviation, Congress, Congressional reporting requirements, Cooperative societies, Coral reefs, Corporations, Defense policy, Diesel motor, Earned income tax credit, Economic impact statements, Economic policy, Ecosystem management, Electric appliances, Electric power distribution, Electric power plants, Electric power production, Electric utilities, Electric utility rates, Electric vehicles, Electronic benefits transfers, Emergency management, Emissions trading, Employee training, Endangered species, Energy, Energy conservation, Energy efficiency, Energy prices, Environmental law enforcement, Environmental protection, Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental research, Environmental technology, Estuaries, Executive departments, Executive reorganization, Federal aid to education, Federal aid to Indians, Finance, Fire fighters, Fire prevention, Fishery management, Flood control, Fluorocarbons, Foreign policy, Forest conservation, Forest fires, Forestry, Forestry research, Forests, Fossil fuels, Fuel cells, Fuel consumption, Gas companies, Gas industry, Geology, Geothermal resources, Government information, Government liability, Government paperwork, Government publicity, Government trust funds, Greenhouse gases, Habitat conservation, Hazardous substances, Heating, Higher education, Import restrictions, Income tax, Industrial buildings, Infrastructure, International affairs, International environmental cooperation, Investments, Job training, Labor, Labor statistics, Landfills, Law, Manufacturing industries, Marine ecology, Marine mammals, Marine pollution, Marine resources, Mercury, Methane, Minorities, Montana, Motor vehicle pollution control, National security, Natural gas, Natural resources, Negotiations, Nitrogen oxides, Nonprofit organizations, Ocean energy resources, Petroleum industry, Petroleum refineries, Pipelines, Potable water, Presidential powers, Presidents, Public lands, Recycling of waste products, Research centers, Rural affairs, Science policy, Scientific education, Social security, Social security taxes, Social services, Solar energy, Solid wastes, Standards, State and local government, State laws, Sulphur dioxide, Taxation, Technological innovations, Technology, Telecommunication, Tidal power, Trade, Transportation, Treaties, U.S. Agency for International Development, Water pollution, Water pollution control, Water quality, Water resources, Welfare, Wind power, Wyoming
Latest Action: 07/08/2008 - Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 742. Bill TextA bill to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, and for other purposes. 5/20/2008--Introduced. Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish: (1) a federal greenhouse gas (GHG) registry, for which certain facilities must report information regarding fossil fuels and GHGs produced and consumed; and (2) specified quantities of GHG emission allowances, which decline for each of 2012 to 2050. Requires the Administrator to establish a GHG emission allowance transfer system for the following: (1) facilities that use more than 5,000 tons of coal in a year; (2) facilities in the natural gas sector; (3) facilities that produce or entities that import petroleum- or coal-based fuel the combustion of which will emit group I GHGs; (4) facilities that produce or entities that import, in any year, more than [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Business, Coal, Energy, Energy development, Finance, Gas industry, Government information, Government paperwork, Government publicity, Metals, Mines and mineral resources, Natural gas, Natural resources, Oil well drilling, Petroleum, Petroleum industry, Prospecting, Securities regulation
Latest Action: 06/26/2008 - Committee Hearings Held. Bill TextTo require, for the benefit of shareholders, the disclosure of payments to foreign governments for the extraction of natural resources, to allow such shareholders more appropriately to determine associated risks. 5/15/2008--Introduced. Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure Act - Amends the Securities Excha |