Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To enable America's schools to use their computer hardware to increase student achievement and prepare students for the 21st century workplace, and for other purposes. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Education for the 21st Century (E-21) Act - Establishes assistance programs for: (1) middle school computer literacy; and (2) high-quality educational software for all schools.Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states (especially those with a priority on training middle school teachers) that integrate into the state curriculum the goal of making all middle school graduates in the state technologically literate. Requires use of such grants for teacher training in technology, emphasizing programs preparing teachers in elementary, middle, and secondary schools to become technology leaders and then serve as experts and train other teachers. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants for students at secondary schools and institutions of higher education [...]

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Latest Action: 04/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4602-4604)

Bill Text
A bill to repeal the sunset on certain tax rates and other incentives and to repeal the individual alternative minimum tax, and for other purposes. 4/17/2007--Introduced. Invest in America Act - Repeals the general termination date (i.e., December 31, 2010) of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (thus making provisions of that Act that reduce income tax rates and repeal the estate and gift tax permanent).Repeals the termination date in the Jobs Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 applicable to the reduction in taxes on dividends and capital gains. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent: (1) the tax credit for increasing research activities; (2) the increased expensing allowance for small business assets; and (3) the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers. Repeals the alternative minimum tax on individuals after 2006.Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Committee [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con

Bill Text
To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 and the Rules of the House of Representatives to strengthen financial disclosures and to require precertification of privately-funded travel, and for other purposes. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Sunlight Act of 2007 - Amends Rule XXV (Limitations on Outside Earned Income and Acceptance of Gifts) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require a Member of the House, officer, or employee, before taking a privately-funded trip, to: (1) provide certain travel-related information to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and agree to provide expenses reimbursed or to be reimbursed after the trip's completion; and (2) receive the Committee's precertification of such proposed trip. Prohibits any such privately-funded trip unless the Committee determines that it complies with all applicable rules of the House. Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require annual financial disclosure statements of Members of Congress [...]

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Latest Action: 01/12/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Bill Text
A bill to establish a digital and wireless network technology program, and for other purposes. 1/12/2007--Introduced. Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act of 2007 - Establishes within the National Science Foundation (NSF) an Office of Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology to: (1) award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements (assistance) to eligible institutions to provide educational instruction in digital and wireless network technologies; and (2) strengthen the national digital and wireless infrastructure by increasing national investment in telecommunications and technology infrastructure at eligible institutions. Requires the NSF Director to establish an advisory council on the best approaches for involving eligible institutions in supported activities and for reviewing and evaluating submitted proposals. Requires the council to include members from minority serving institutions.Makes the following [...]

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Latest Action: 01/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S678-679)

Bill Text
A bill to establish a digital and wireless network technology program, and for other purposes. 1/17/2007--Introduced. Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act - Establishes within the National Science Foundation (NSF) an Office of Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology to: (1) award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements (assistance) to eligible institutions to provide educational instruction in digital and wireless network technologies; and (2) strengthen the national digital and wireless infrastructure by increasing national investment in telecommunications and technology infrastructure at eligible institutions. Requires the NSF Director to establish an advisory council on the best approaches for involving eligible institutions in supported activities and for reviewing and evaluating submitted proposals. Requires the council to include members from minority serving institutions.Makes the following institutions [...]

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Latest Action: 03/05/2007 - Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-30.

Bill Text
A bill to improve the interoperability of emergency communications equipment.

1/24/2007--Introduced.

Interoperable Emergency Communications Act - Amends the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 to revise provisions concerning the grant program to assist public agencies in establishing the interoperability of public safety emergency communications to specify five (currently, one) specific grant activities. Requires the awarding of at least $1 billion by September 30, 2007, pursuant to provisions of the Call Home Act of 2006.

Amends the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 to prohibit construing such Act or any amendments made by it as limiting the authority of the Department of Commerce or the Federal Communications Commission.

Latest Action: 01/16/2007 - Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the comm

Bill Text
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reform the financing of campaigns for election for Federal office. 1/16/2007--Introduced. Citizen Legislature and Political Freedom Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to terminate limitations on federal election campaign contributions after 2007.Repeals the ban on contributions and expenditures by corporations and labor organizations with respect to elections occurring after December 2007. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate after December 31, 2006, the designation of income tax payments to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Terminates the Fund itself and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account after December 31, 2007, and transfers any amounts remaining in the Fund to the general fund of the Treasury. Amends FECA to require any political committee of a state or local political party to file with the Federal Election Commission a copy of any report [...]

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Latest Action: 01/30/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1346-1348)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1086 to reform the system of public financing for Presidential elections, and for other purposes. 1/30/2007--Introduced. Presidential Funding Act of 2007 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to public financing of presidential election campaigns to: (1) quadruple (1:1 to 4:1) the matching rate for contributions to primary election candidates; (2) lower from $250 to $200 the limit on individual campaign contributions; (3) increase the presidential primary qualifying threshold from $5,000 to $25,000 in 20 states; (4) require presidential candidates to participate in the primary payment system to be eligible for general election payments; (5) move the starting date for payments to primary candidates from January 1 of a presidential election year to six months before the earliest state primary election; (6) allow additional payments and increased expenditure limits for candidates who face opponents who do not participate [...]

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Latest Action: 02/06/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1643-1644)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the above-the-line deduction for teacher classroom supplies and to expand such deduction to include qualified professional development expenses.

2/6/2007--Introduced.

Teacher Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to $400; (2) allow the deduction of professional development expenses; and (3) make such deduction permanent.

Latest Action: 05/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1085)

Bill Text
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that foreign governments should work diligently to legalize all computer software used by such foreign governments, and for other purposes.

5/17/2007--Introduced.

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that foreign governments should: (1) work to legalize all computer software used by government agencies in order to give full effect to copyrights associated with computer software; (2) require all government agencies to implement procedures to ensure that such agencies have present on their computers only computer software that does not violate applicable copyright laws; and (3) require that contractors and other recipients of government funds or financial assistance have appropriate systems to ensure that government funds are not used to acquire or maintain computer software in violation of applicable copyright laws.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 06/24/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6022)

Bill Text
A bill to make grants to States to implement statewide portal initiatives, and for other purposes. 6/24/2008--Introduced. Empowering Teaching and Learning Through Education Portals Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to states to implement or maintain education portal initiatives that include collecting and making available: (1) high quality resources (including data, tools, and digital media content) for teachers, students, and parents, that support public education from Head Start through graduate school; and (2) resources for ongoing and sustainable teacher training in the use of education technology at such educational levels. Allows teachers, students, and parents to contribute resources to their state portal, which is to be accessible statewide. Permits states to use funds available to them under part A (Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund) of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to maintain [...]

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Latest Action: 04/28/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for research into the development of energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy technologies and to foster the introduction of energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy technologies into the marketplace, with the goal of reducing United States oil imports.
Latest Action: 03/31/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2234)

Bill Text
A bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2009, 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 aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement; (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 and maintenance, including working capital funds, the Defense Health Program, chemical agents and munitions destruction, drug interdiction and counter-drug activities, and the Defense Inspector General; (6) active and reserve military personnel, including [...]

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Latest Action: 07/10/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
To amend title 44, United States Code, to require preservation of certain electronic records by Federal agencies, to require a certification and reports relating to Presidential records, and for other purposes. 4/15/2008--Introduced. Electronic Communications Preservation Act - Requires: (1) the Archivist of the United States to promulgate regulations governing agency preservation of electronic communications that are records; (2) agencies to comply with such regulations and to report to the Archivist on their compliance; and (3) the Archivist to report to specified congressional committees on such compliance.Requires the Archivist to promulgate regulations that include provisions for establishing standards necessary for the economical and efficient management of presidential records during a President's term of office.Requires the Archivist to: (1) annually certify whether the records management controls established by the President meet this Act's requirements;[...]

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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. 5/22/2008--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 - Division A: Department of Defense Authorizations - Title I: Procurement - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 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.[...]

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Latest Action: 05/05/2008 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 110-619.

Bill Text
To create a voluntary FHA program that provides mortgage refinancing assistance to allow families to stay in their homes, protect neighborhoods, and help stabilize the housing market. 5/5/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008 - Title I: Homeownership Retention - (Sec. 102) 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 in which the mortgagor has any present [...]

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Latest Action: 01/28/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to encourage investment in high productivity property, and for other purposes.

1/28/2008--Introduced.

Job Creation Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the expensing of the cost of certain high productivity property placed in service in 2008, including computer and computer-related peripheral equipment, electronic equipment, software, high technology medical equipment, and advanced environmental and life science products.

Allow a 50% depreciation allowance for certain business equipment acquired in 2008.

Exempts acclerated depreciation amounts related to properties placed in service in 2008 or 2009 from adjustments in computing alternative minimum taxable income.

Allows an offset in 2008 against the alternative minimum tax liability of corporations for their long-term unused tax credits.