Latest Action: 11/20/2008 - Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S10702)

Bill Text
A bill to advance America's priorities. 7/22/2008--Introduced. Advancing America's Priorities Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) establish a system to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and establish a registry for such data; (2) provide for an education and information campaign to promote stroke prevention; and (3) award grants for a pilot project to improve stroke patient outcomes by coordinating health care delivery through telehealth networks.Establishes programs for research, rehabilitation, and quality of life for people with paralysis.Provides for support services to women suffering from postpartum depression and who receive a positive diagnosis of Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states to provide vision care for children. Amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to expand services for homeless youth [...]

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Latest Action: 07/15/2008 - Vetoed by President.

Bill Text
To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes. 7/15/2008--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on June 24, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 - Title I: Medicare - Subtitle A: Beneficiary Improvements - Part 1: Prevention, Mental Health, and Marketing - (Sec. 101) Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, to cover additional preventive services. Includes body mass index and end-of-life planning among initial [...]

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Latest Action: 09/18/2008 - Received in the House.

Bill Text
An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. 9/17/2008--Passed Senate amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Department of 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. 104) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 for defense-wide procurement.Subtitle B: Army Programs - (Sec. 111) Provides that, if the Secretary of the Army certifies to Congress the operational effectiveness of the Stryker Mobile Gun System, or the Secretary [...]

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Latest Action: 10/14/2008 - Signed by President.

Bill Text
An original bill 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, and for other purposes. 9/17/2008--Passed Senate amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) 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. 104) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 for defense-wide procurement.Subtitle B: Army Programs - (Sec. 111) Provides that, if the Secretary of the Army certifies to Congress [...]

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Latest Action: 02/29/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Bill Text
To require the Department of Defense to implement a pain care initiative, and for other purposes. 2/14/2008--Introduced. Military Pain Care Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services and the Surgeon General of the United States to develop and implement a pain care initiative in all military health care facilities. Requires the initiative to ensure that all active and retired military personnel and dependents receiving treatment in military health care facilities: (1) are assessed for pain at the time of admission or initial treatment, and periodically thereafter, using a professionally recognized pain assessment tool or process; and (2) receive appropriate pain care consistent with recognized means for assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute and chronic pain, including, as appropriate, access to specialty pain management services. Requires: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) contracts for medical [...]

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Latest Action: 01/30/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S493-496)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require a program of mental health care and rehabilitation for veterans for service-related post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, or a related substance use disorder, and for other purposes.

1/30/2008--Introduced.

Veterans Mental Health Treatment First Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program of mental health care and rehabilitation for veterans who: (1) are diagnosed by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) physician with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression, anxiety, or substance abuse that is either related to the PTSD or service-related; and (2) agree to participation conditions, including compliance with a treatment regimen and rehabilitation plan prescribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Requires each participant to be paid a stipend during successful program participation, limiting to $11,000 the total stipend paid to each individual.

Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13003-13004)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the inclusion of barbiturates and bezodiazepines as covered part D drugs beginning in 2008.

10/17/2007--Introduced.

Medicare Mental Health Prescription Drug Access Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover barbiturates and benzodiazepines as Medicare part D drugs, beginning in 2008.

Latest Action: 07/26/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10156-10157)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act in order to ensure access to critical medications under the Medicare part D prescription drug program. 7/26/2007--Introduced. Medicare Access to Critical Medications Act of 2007 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require prescription drug plan (PDP) formularies to include all or substantially all covered part D drugs in the therapeutic classes: (1) anticonvulsants; (2) antineoplastics; (3) antiretrovirals; (4) antidepressants; (5) antipsychotics; and (6) immunosuppressants.Prohibits the application of a utilization management tool, such as prior authorization or step therapy, to such drugs in certain cases.Prescribes requirements for treatment of such drugs when a determination or reconsideration is requested, as well as the treatment of appeals for such drugs.Establishes data reporting requirements for such drug categories [...]

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Latest Action: 09/04/2007 - Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 338.

Bill Text
To amend titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the children's health insurance program, to improve beneficiary protections under the Medicare, Medicaid, and the CHIP program, and for other purposes. 8/1/2007--Reported to House amended, Part I.    (There are 2 other summaries) Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act of 2007 - Title I: Children's Health Insurance Program - (Sec. 100) States that it is the purpose of this title to provide dependable and stable funding for children's health insurance under titles XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP) (also known as SCHIP) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) in order to enroll all six million uninsured children who are eligible, but not enrolled, for coverage today. Subtitle A: Funding - (Sec. 101) Prescribes formulae for new base CHIP allotments for states and territories beginning with FY2008. (Sec. [...]

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Latest Action: 06/28/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Bill Text
To improve mental health care for wounded members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. 6/7/2007--Introduced. Mental Health Care for Our Wounded Warriors Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) members of the Armed Forces (members) deserve the best possible treatment for mental and physical illnesses and injuries sustained while in military service; (2) members should have access to mental health providers; (3) mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) should be treated with an urgency similar to physical ailments incurred by members; (4) there is a need to recruit, train, and retain more mental health care professionals to diagnose and treat members; and (5) there is a continued need for research, new treatments, and best practices for treating PTSD, as well as a long-term strategy for recruiting, training, and retaining the mental health workforce of the Department of Defense (DOD). Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish [...]

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Latest Action: 07/17/2007 - Star Print ordered on the bill.

Bill Text
To reauthorize the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002, and for other purposes. 6/6/2007--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007 - Title I: Economic and Democratic Development Assistance for Afghanistan - (Sec. 103) Amends the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 to provide for assistance with respect to: (1) continuing humanitarian needs; (2) a pilot program of crop substitution for poppy production; (3) agriculture, health, and infrastructure reconstruction; (4) education and anti-corruption, including implementation of the Afghan action plan on transitional justice; (5) assistance to women and girls; (6) energy development and short-term energy supply; and (7) capacity building. Authorizes additional FY2008-FY2010 appropriations for: (1) contributions to the United Nations Drug Control Program; and (2) the crop substitution program. Directs the President [...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2008 - Committee on Armed Services discharged.

Bill Text
To expand quality programs of early childhood home visitation that increase school readiness, child abuse and neglect prevention, and early identification of developmental and health delays, including potential mental health concerns, and for other purposes. 8/1/2008--Reported to House amended, Part