Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S149-150)

Bill Text
A bill to expand access to affordable health care and to strengthen the health care safety net and make health care services more available in rural and underserved areas. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Access to Affordable Health Care Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) tax credits to small businesses for qualified employee health insurance expenses; (2) tax credits for qualified health insurance; (3) deductions for long-term care premiums; and (4) tax credits for individuals with long-term care needs. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award grants to states to assist in planning, developing, and operating qualified small employer purchasing groups for health insurance. Directs the Small Business Administration to award grants to states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to provide health insurance information to small employers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to award demonstration grants for [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S109-110)

Bill Text
A bill to encourage the health of children in schools by promoting better nutrition and increased physical activity, and for other purposes. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Healthy Students Act of 2007 - Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish a Commission to Improve School Meals composed of nutrition and children's health experts tasked with developing new nutritional standards for the School Lunch, Summer Food Service, Child and Adult Care Food, and School Breakfast programs. Requires such standards to ban foods of minimal nutritional value. Provides for the adjustment of program payment rates to compensate for compliance with such standards. Repeals the current requirement that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) issue guidance to states and school food authorities to increase the consumption of foods and food ingredients recommended in the most recent Dietary Guidelines [...]

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Latest Action: 01/10/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

Bill Text
To ensure that Federal emergency management funds are not used for crisis counseling, recreation, or self esteem building classes or instruction.

1/9/2007--Introduced.

Requires the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure that no disaster relief funds are used for any type of crisis counseling, recreation, or self esteem building classes or instruction.

Latest Action: 07/24/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

Bill Text
In observance of National Physical Education and Sports Week. 5/7/2007--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.) Recognizes National Physical Education and Sports Week and the central role of physical activity and sports in creating a healthy lifestyle for all children and youth. Urges communities to work with schools and key stakeholders of the community to craft and implement a local wellness plan, as required by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, that includes goals for physical activity, nutrition education, and other school-based activities to promote physical education, as well as nutrition guidelines for foods sold in schools, implementation plans, and measures to determine effectiveness.Encourages schools to offer physical education classes to students and work with community [...]

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Latest Action: 04/10/2007 - By Senator Kennedy from Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions filed written report. Report No. 110-49.

Bill Text
A bill to reauthorize the Head Start Act, and for other purposes. 3/29/2007--Reported to Senate amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Head Start for School Readiness Act - Amends the Head Start Act (the Act) to revise and reauthorize Head Start programs. (Sec. 2) Includes children's growth in language, preliteracy, premathematics, emotional, and physical skills among the aims of Head Start programs. (Sec. 3) Includes community-based organizations and financial literacy training within the definitions of Head Start delegate agencies and family literacy services, respectively. Adds definitions of Head Start deficiencies, homeless children, institutions of higher education, interrater reliability, limited English proficient (LEP) children, and unresolved areas of noncompliance. Removes Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau from the list of program participants. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services [...]

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Latest Action: 02/15/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2100-2101)

Bill Text
A bill to help promote the national recommendation of physical activity to kids, families, and communities across the United States. 2/15/2007--Introduced. Promoting Lifelong Active Communities Every Day Act or the PLAY Every Day Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop the Community Play Index to measure the policy, program, or environmental barriers in communities to participating in physical activity. Requires the Index to include: (1) measurements that examine barriers to physical activities across multiple settings; and (2) measurements to assist economically and culturally diverse communities in examining the social determinants of health.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to award grants to state health departments for work in partnership with community-based coalitions to plan and implement model communities of play that: (1) increase [...]

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Latest Action: 06/05/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

Bill Text
To provide for programs that reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, help women bear healthy children, and support new parents. 2/15/2007--Introduced. Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to provide education on preventing teen pregnancies.Provides for: (1) grants to prevent teen pregnancy; and (2) a national center for parents of adolescents to support parents in preventing teen pregnancy.Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of Social Security Act to expand coverage of family planning services. Sets forth requirements for primary care clinics that receive federal financial assistance and provide abortion services.Expands state options to provide health care coverage to low-income pregnant women.Title X Family Planning Services Act of 2007 - Authorizes appropriations for voluntary family planning projects.Amends the Public [...]

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Latest Action: 04/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4616-4617)

Bill Text
A bill to authorize grants to carry out projects to provide education on preventing teen pregnancies, and for other purposes. 4/17/2007--Introduced. Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Responsibility, and Opportunity Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to local educational agencies, state and local public health agencies, and nonprofit private entities for projects to provide education on preventing teen pregnancies. Gives priority to communities with significantly above averages rates of teen pregnancy. Requires the Secretary to establish criteria to evaluate such projects. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase authorized appropriations for community learning centers. Authorizes appropriations for physical education programs. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize appropriations for TRIO and GEARUP programs. Authorizes the Secretary to make matching grants to public [...]

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Latest Action: 06/05/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding challenging academic content standards for physical education, and for other purposes. 2/28/2007--Introduced. Strengthening Physical Education Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include physical education among the subjects for which states are required to have academic content and achievement standards for all public school students, beginning in school year 2007-2008. Requires physical education assessment to begin by school year 2009-2010, including measurement of students' proficiency at least one time during: (1) grades 3 through 6; (2) grades 6 through 9; and (3) grades 10 through 12. Directs the Secretary of Education to identify model state and local physical education programs, evaluate their safety and effectiveness, and publish information on such programs. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to states [...]

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Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to improve the health of Americans and reduce health care costs by reorienting the Nation's health care system toward prevention, wellness, and self care. 5/9/2007--Introduced. Healthy Lifestyles and Prevention America Act or the HeLP America Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to convene a task force on childhood obesity.Provides for: (1) healthy school nutrition environment incentive grants; (2) the establishment of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative to certify a hospital as a baby friendly hospital/center for breastfeeding excellence; and (3) programs to prevent youth problem behaviors.Healthy Workforce Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a wellness program credit for employers; and (2) exclude from an employee's income the fees paid by an employer to an athletic or fitness facility on the employee's behalf.Requires the Secretary to establish a National Advisory [...]

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Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 07/31/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide assistance to the Paralympic Program of the United States Olympic Committee, and for other purposes.
Latest Action: 05/01/2008 - Received in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S3729-3730; text of measure as passed Senate: CR S3730; text of measure as introduced: CR S3720)

Bill Text
A resolution designating May 2008 as "National Physical Fitness and Sports Month" and the week of May 1 through May 7, 2008, as "National Physical Education and Sports Week".

5/1/2008--Passed Senate 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.)

Designates: (1) May 2008 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month; and (2) May 1-May 7, 2008, as National Physical Education and Sports Week.

Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Bill Text
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide assistance to the Paralympic Program of the United States Olympic Committee, and for other purposes.

12/4/2007--Introduced.

United States Olympic Committee Paralympic Program Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make a grant to the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) to plan, develop, manage, and implement the Paralympic Program for veterans and members of the Armed Forces.

Directs the USOC to use a grant to recruit, support, encourage, schedule, facilitate, supervise, and implement paralympic instruction and competition activities, training and technical assistance, and coordination and program development activities for veterans and members of the Armed Forces with physical disabilities.

Sets forth outreach, coordination, application, and memorandum of understanding requirements.

Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12990-12991)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education. 10/17/2007--Introduced. Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act or the FIT Kids Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require annual state and local educational agency report cards to include specified information on school health and physical education programs. Includes the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles by students within ESEA grant programs that support school counseling, smaller learning communities, community learning centers, and parental involvement in their childrens' education. Revises the professional development program for teachers and principals to include training for physical and health education teachers, and training on improving students' health habits and participation in physical activities. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to fund a study by the National Academy of [...]

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Latest Action: 10/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to enable local educational agencies to use amounts received from the Fund for the Improvement of Education for innovative programs to increase learning in nutrition and exercise.

10/4/2007--Introduced.

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow local educational agencies to use amounts received under part A (Innovative Programs) of title V for programs to increase nutrition and exercise education that focuses on illness prevention and is provided in classroom or after school settings.

Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants for core curriculum development.

9/19/2007--Introduced.

Access to Complete Education Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to promote and strengthen as an integral part of the curriculum one or more of the subjects of music and arts, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, history, geography, and physical education and health.

Gives priority to LEAs that have greatest numbers or percentages of children from families below the poverty line.

Requires grantees to coordinate, to the extent practicable, their programs to promote or strengthen education in such subjects with opportunities provided by public or private cultural entities, including museums, education associations, libraries, and theaters.

Latest Action: 09/18/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Bill Text
A bill to establish nutrition and physical education standards for schools. 9/18/2007--Introduced. Back to School: Improving Standards for Nutrition and Physical Education in Schools Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to revise the standards that set a minimal nutritional value for competitive foods and beverages (sold outside of the federally-funded school lunch and breakfast programs) so that they are consistent with those described in a report of the Institute of Medicine (Institute) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), dated April 25, 2007. Applies such standards to all competitive foods and beverages sold on school campuses during the school day. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to arrange for the Institute to develop recommendations, every five years, for updating such standards so they reflect the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and scientific knowledge. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture, after [...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

Bill Text
To amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to authorize the use of grant funds for gang prevention, and for other purposes.

8/3/2007--Introduced.

Bullying and Gang Reduction for Improved Education Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to add bullying and gang prevention to the violence and drug abuse prevention activities currently supported under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities program.

Provides that, in addition to fostering a safe and drug-free learning environment, such program should facilitate healthy, physically active lifestyles.

Makes local park and recreation agencies eligible for funding under the program's mentoring programs for children.

Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education. 7/31/2007--Introduced. Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act or the FIT Kids Act - Requires state accountability systems, required under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), to measure not only student academic progress, but their progress toward a national goal of 150 minutes of weekly physical education in elementary school and 225 minutes of weekly physical education in middle and high schools. Amends the ESEA to require annual state and local educational agency report cards to include specified information on school health and physical education programs. Includes the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles by students within ESEA grant programs that support school counseling, safe and drug-free schools and communities, smaller learning communities, community learning centers, parental involvement in their [...]

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Latest Action: 06/12/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Bill Text
To establish grants to provide health services for improved nutrition, increased physical activity, obesity and eating disorder prevention, and for other purposes. 6/12/2007--Introduced. Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act or the IMPACT Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand an existing grant program for training for health profession students to include the treatment of individuals who are overweight, obese, or have eating disorders. Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for the training of primary care physicians and other health professions on how to identify, treat, and prevent obesity or eating disorders and aid individuals who are overweight or obese or who suffer from eating disorders. Requires the Secretary, acting though the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants for the planning and implementation of programs that promote healthy eating behaviors and physical [...]

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