H.R.4137 Sponsored by George Miller
Latest Action: 02/25/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
To amend and extend the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes. 2/7/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise and reauthorize HEA programs. Title I: Title I Amendments - (Sec. 101) Revises the general definition of an institution of higher education (IHE) to include schools that: (1) admit students whose secondary education was conducted in a home school setting; (2) award degrees (not necessarily bachelor's degrees) that are acceptable for admission to a graduate or professional degree program; and (3) enroll students who will be dually or concurrently enrolled in a secondary school. Revises the definition of an IHE for purposes of title IV student assistance programs. Requires graduate medical schools located outside the country, that qualified as IHEs owing to their having a state-approved [...]

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Latest Action: 01/15/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To assist States in establishing a universal prekindergarten program to ensure that all children 3, 4, and 5 years old have access to a high-quality full-day, full-calendar-year prekindergarten education.

11/1/2007--Introduced.

Universal Prekindergarten Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to a designated state agency for development of universal prekindergaten programs for all children three, four, and five years old in the state.

Requires the state to: (1) match federal funds by at least 20%; and (2) submit with its grant application a plan to establish, coordinate, and implement a statewide universal prekindergarten program.

Authorizes state agencies to set aside up to 5% of a grant for ongoing professional development activities for teachers and staff of prekindergarten programs that wish to participate.

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

Bill Text
To amend and extend the Higher Education Act of 1965. 10/4/2007--Introduced. College Access and Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise and reauthorize appropriations for HEA programs. Establishes a single definition of institutions of higher education (IHEs) for purposes of their participation in all HEA programs, including title IV student aid programs. Allows IHEs to enroll students who are also enrolled in secondary school. Revises higher education consumer information and public accountability requirements. Imposes educational loan disclosure requirements on lenders and IHEs. Replaces the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants for States and Partnerships program under title II with a new Teacher Quality Partnership grant program for partnerships of high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), high-need schools, IHEs, and public or private educational organizations. Repeals part B (Preparing Tomorrow's [...]

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H.R.3043 Sponsored by David R. Obey
Latest Action: 11/15/2007 - DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on the question of passage, the objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding.

Bill Text
Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. 11/7/2007--Senate receded and concurred with amendment.    (There are 4 other summaries) Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 - Makes appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for FY2008. Title I: Department of Labor - Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2008 - Makes appropriations for FY2008 to the Department of Labor for: (1) the Employment and Training Administration, including training and employment services; (2) community service employment for older Americans; (3) federal unemployment benefits and allowances; (4) state unemployment insurance and employment service operations; (5) advances to the Unemployment [...]

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Latest Action: 11/15/2007 - By Senator Kennedy from Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions filed written report. Report No. 110-231.

Bill Text
A bill to extend the authorization of programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes. 7/24/2007--Passed Senate amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Higher Education Amendments of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise HEA programs and to extend the authorization of appropriations for them through FY2013. Title I: General Provisions - (Sec. 101) Adds definitions of a critical foreign language, distance education, and poverty line. Provides that critical foreign languages are those contained on the list designated by the Secretary of Education in the Federal Register on August 5, 1985, but allows the Secretary to set language priorities according to the purposes of a specific program and national security, economic competitiveness, and educational needs. States that poverty line refers to the poverty line applicable to a family of the size involved. (Sec. 102) Revises [...]

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H.R.2359 Sponsored by Joe Sestak
Latest Action: 06/22/2007 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 218.

Bill Text
To reauthorize programs to assist small business concerns, and for other purposes. 6/20/2007--Passed House 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.) SBA Entrepreneurial Development Programs Act of 2007 - Title I: Revisions to Small Business Development Centers - (Sec. 101) Amends the Small Business Act to make operational changes to the Small Business Administration (SBA)'s small business development centers (SBDCs) program, including: (1) requiring new SBDC award grantees that are universities to be accredited; (2) requiring award grantees to be equal partners in grant program and contract negotiations; (3) prohibiting SBA interference in hiring practices of SBDC grant recipients; (4) prohibiting the SBA from using program resources for administrative expenses of examining SBDC operations; (5) exempting [...]

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Latest Action: 07/17/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To improve the lives of working families by providing family and medical need assistance, child care assistance, in-school and afterschool assistance, family care assistance, and encouraging the establishment of family-friendly workplaces. 5/17/2007--Introduced. Family and Workplace Balancing Act of 2007, or Balancing Act of 2007 - Family Income to Respond to Significant Transitions Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to make five-year grants to a state or local government to pay for the federal share of projects that assist families by providing wage replacement for eligible individuals responding to family caregiving needs, especially those related to the birth or adoption of a child. Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) and federal civil service law to allow employees covered by FMLA and civil servants to take specified additional leave for: (1) parental involvement in their children's or grandchildren's [...]

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S.1360 Sponsored by Elizabeth Dole
Latest Action: 05/10/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for higher education affordability, access, and opportunity. 5/10/2007--Introduced. Higher Education Affordability, Access, and Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a student loan program for workforce development for high-growth occupations or industries. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for: (1) job skill training in high-growth occupations or industries to partnerships of community colleges and workforce investment boards; and (2) training and job skills for small business owners or operators to partnerships of institutions of higher education (IHEs) and entities that help small business development. Prohibits, under the student loan program, IHEs and accrediting agencies and associations from restricting transfers of credits in specified ways. Requires studies and dissemination of comparative data on college costs and related matters. Revises [...]

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S.1042 Sponsored by Michael B. Enzi
Latest Action: 03/13/2008 - Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to make the provision of technical services for medical imaging examinations and radiation therapy treatments safer, more accurate, and less costly. 3/29/2007--Introduced. Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards to ensure the safety and accuracy of medical imaging studies and radiation therapy treatments. Imposes such standards on personnel who perform, plan, or evaluate, or verify patient doses for, medical imaging studies and radiation therapy procedures and not on the equipment used. Exempts physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Directs the Secretary to ensure that individuals demonstrate compliance with such standards. Requires the Secretary to provide a method for the recognition of individuals whose training [...]

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H.R.773 Sponsored by Betty McCollum
Latest Action: 05/18/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
To reduce and prevent the sale and use of fraudulent degrees in order to protect the integrity of valid higher education degrees that are used for Federal purposes. 1/31/2007--Introduced. Diploma Integrity Protection Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to make available to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the heads of other appropriate federal agencies a list of: (1) accrediting agencies and associations recognized by the Secretary or by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation; (2) institutions of higher education eligible under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program; and (3) foreign institutions of higher education whose authority to issue degrees is accepted in their home country and that the Secretary deems to be academically equivalent to FFEL participants in this country. Conditions a school's eligibility for student assistance funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 on its providing notice on its internet [...]

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Latest Action: 02/02/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Bill Text
To amend the Public Health Service Act to make the provision of technical services for medical imaging examinations and radiation therapy treatments safer, more accurate, and less costly. 1/19/2007--Introduced. Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards to ensure the safety and accuracy of medical imaging studies and radiation therapy treatments. Imposes such standards on personnel who perform, plan, or evaluate, or verify patient doses for, medical imaging studies and radiation therapy procedures and not on the equipment used. Exempts physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Directs the Secretary to ensure that individuals demonstrate compliance with such standards. Requires the Secretary to provide a method for the recognition of individuals whose training and experience [...]

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