Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 06/05/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Bill Text
To 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 [...]

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Latest Action: 04/30/2007 - Committee on Environment and Public Works. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Boxer. With written report No. 110-58.

Bill Text
An original bill to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, to authorize the Secretary of the Army to construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of the United States, and for other purposes. 4/30/2007--Reported to Senate without amendment.    (There is 1 other summary) Water Resources Development Act of 2007 - Renews the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Authorizes Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) water resources development and conservation projects, including flood control, environmental restoration, shoreline protection, and inland navigation projects. Title I: Water Resources Projects - (Sec. 1001) Authorizes specified projects for navigation, ecosystem restoration, flood or storm damage reduction, and related purposes in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,[...]

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Latest Action: 05/15/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to provide incentives for the production of bioenergy crops.

5/15/2007--Introduced.

Farm-to-Fuel Investment Act of 2007 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to designate as bioenergy cropsheds areas that are physically located within a 50-mile radius, or some other economically-practicable distance, from an existing or planned biorefinery.

States that each designated bioenergy cropshed shall include local conservation objectives, including water quality, wildlife habitat, soil quality, and air quality.

Directs the Secretary, through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to offer to enter into contracts with producers on a farm in a bioenergy cropshed to provide bioenergy crop transition assistance to encourage the producers to produce bioenergy crops.

Latest Action: 05/16/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6196-6197)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Development Act of 2002 to support beginning farmers and ranchers, and for other purposes. 5/16/2007--Introduced. Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to make beginning farmer and rancher development grants available for energy conservation and organic and value-added alternative production. Caps annual grant amounts and permits consecutive grants to the same recipient. Sets forth grant evaluation criteria. Extends grant authority. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the new farmer individual development accounts pilot program under which: (1) an eligible participant shall deposit an agreed upon amount into an account which will be matched at 300% by the program ($9,000 annual cap); and (2) expenditures shall be used for specified farming purposes, including purchases of farmland,[...]

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Latest Action: 05/17/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2013, and for other purposes.

5/17/2007--Introduced.

Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act of 2007 - Extends and revises various agricultural programs, including programs respecting: (1) milk and dairy; (2) conservation security; (3) conservation reserve; (4) wetlands reserve; (5) environmental quality incentives; (6) farmland protection; (7) cooperative conservation partnership initiative; (8) wildlife habitat; (9) conservation loan guarantees; (10) market access; (11) food stamps; (12) farm and ranch profitability grants; (13) community forest and open space conservation; (14) healthy forests reserve; (15) biomass and renewable energy; (16) specialty crops, farmers' markets, and nutrition; (17) organic agriculture programs; (18) crop insurance; and (18) colony collapse disorder.

Latest Action: 05/17/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to improve access to healthy foods, and for other purposes. 5/17/2007--Introduced. Food Outreach and Opportunity Development for a Healthy America Act of 2007 - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to: (1) extend assistance for community food projects; and (2) obligate funds for food stamp nutrition education. Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to: (1) extend the fresh fruit and vegetable program; (2) extend the farm-to-cafeteria program; and (3) authorize Department of Agriculture and Department of Defense (DOD) geographic preferences to purchase locally produced agricultural or food products. Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to revise the farmland protection program. Gives priority to farm and ranchland with prime, unique, or other productive soils at risk of nonagricultural development. Provides for: (1) grants to eligible state or [...]

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Latest Action: 05/23/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Development Act of 2002 to support beginning farmers and ranchers, and for other purposes. 5/23/2007--Introduced. Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to make beginning farmer and rancher development grants available for energy conservation and organic and value-added alternative production. Caps annual grant amounts and permits consecutive grants to the same recipient. Sets forth grant evaluation criteria. Extends grant authority. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the new farmer individual development accounts pilot program under which: (1) an eligible participant shall deposit an agreed upon amount into an account which will be matched at 300% by the program ($9,000 annual cap); and (2) expenditures shall be used for specified farming purposes, including purchases of farmland,[...]

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Latest Action: 05/24/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Bill Text
A bill to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System. 5/24/2007--Introduced. Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2007 - Prohibits road construction and road reconstruction in inventoried roadless areas of the National Forest System. Specifies exceptions, including because: (1) there is threat of a catastrophic event; (2) a natural resource restoration action is necessary; or (3) a federal-aid highway project is in the public interest or is consistent with the purposes for which the land was reserved or acquired. Prohibits timber from being cut, sold, or removed in an inventoried roadless area. Permits various exceptions, including for specified environmental reasons, if the responsible official determines that the cutting, sale, or removal of timber is expected to be infrequent.Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to make modifications to roadless area maps to [...]

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Latest Action: 05/02/2007 - On passage, the objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 222 - 203, 1 Present (Roll no. 276). (consideration: CR H4315-4326; text of Veto message: CR H4315)

Bill Text
Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes. 4/24/2007--Conference report filed in House.    (There are 3 other summaries) U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 - Title I: Global War on Terror Supplemental Appropriations - Chapter 1 - Makes FY2007 emergency supplemental appropriations to the Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, for commodities supplied in connection with dispositions abroad under Public Law 480 Title II Grants. (Sec. 1101) Makes specified appropriations to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for the release of eligible commodities for emergency humanitarian food needs in developing countries under the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act, in order to replenish the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust. Chapter 2 - Makes FY2007 emergency supplemental appropriations [...]

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Latest Action: 07/26/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10155-10156)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to reauthorize and improve agricultural energy programs, and for other purposes. 7/26/2007--Introduced. Harvesting Energy Act of 2007 - Extends: (1) federal procurement of biobased products; (2) biorefinery development grants; (3) the biodiesel fuel education program; (4) the energy audit and renewable energy development program; (5) the biomass research and development program; (6) assistance for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements, including pyrolysis and thermochemical conversion systems; (7) cooperative research and extension projects; (8) the bioenergy program, including establishment of feedstock residue management and transition assistance programs; (9) research, extension, and educational programs on biobased technologies and products; (10) the environmental quality incentives program; and (11) high-priority research and extension initiatives.Establishes: (1) a biochar [...]

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Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 06/18/2008 - Vetoed by President. (text of veto message: CR H5535)

Bill Text
To provide for the continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes. 5/22/2008--Introduced. Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 - Provides for the continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through FY2012.Revises agricultural and related programs, including provisions respecting: (1) commodity programs; (2) conservation; (3) trade; (4) nutrition; (5) credit; (6) rural development; (7) research and related matters; (8) forestry; (9) energy; (10) horticulture and organic agriculture; (11) livestock; (12) crop insurance and disaster assistance; (13) socially disadvantaged and limited resource producers; and (14) miscellaneous programs.Directs the President to establish and maintain an importer declaration program with respect to the importation of softwood lumber and softwood lumber products.Establishes the Bill Emerson National Hunger [...]

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Latest Action: 06/23/2008 - Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5971)

Bill Text
A resolution recognizing soil as an essential natural resource, and soils professionals as playing a critical role in managing our Nation's soil resources.

6/23/2008--Passed 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.)

Recognizes: (1) the necessity to develop and implement best practices for the long-term use of the nation's soil resources; and (2) the important role of soil scientists and soils professionals.

Acknowledges the promise of soil scientists and soils professionals to continue to enrich the lives of all Americans by improving stewardship of the soil, combating soil degradation, and ensuring the future protection and sustainable use of our air, soil, and water resources.