Latest Action: 09/25/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to establish the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones Fire Suppression Demonstration Incentive Program within the Department of Education to promote installation of fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in qualified student housing and dormitories, and for other purposes. 9/25/2008--Introduced. Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), fraternities, and sororities for up to half the cost of installing fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in student housing and dormitories owned or controlled by such entities. Gives grant priority to applicants that demonstrate the greatest financial need. Reserves the following portions of grant funds made available for each fiscal year: (1) at least 10% for historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 09/17/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To award grants to improve after-school interdisciplinary education programs, and for other purposes. 9/17/2008--Introduced. After School Partnerships Improve Results in Education Act or ASPIRE - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to partnerships, composed of a state or local educational agency and at least one college or nonprofit, community, tribal, business, labor, or career technical student organization, for the development of national model after-school interdisciplinary education programs for secondary school students. Directs the Secretary to allot grants to states for matching subgrants to other partnerships, composed of such entities, for the development of after-school interdisciplinary education programs for secondary school students. Gives grant and subgrant priority to programs targeting a high percentage of impoverished, struggling, or rural students and their families. Requires each partnership grantee [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 09/11/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8414-8415)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish a Semester of Service grant program, and for other purposes. 9/11/2008--Introduced. Semester of Service Act - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to direct the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service to award competitive matching grants to local educational agencies or their nonprofit partners and, through them, competitive subgrants to schools or their nonprofit partners for Semester of Service programs that allow high school juniors and seniors to earn academic credit for service-learning that meets unmet human, educational, environmental, or public safety needs in their communities. Gives grant priority to applicants that propose to direct subgrants toward programs at schools that receive school improvement funds under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Requires Semester of Service programs [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 09/09/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8182-8183)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize a connecting education and emerging professions demonstration grant program. 9/9/2008--Introduced. Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Act of 2008 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Demonstration Grant program awarding competitive matching grants to states and local educational agencies (LEAs) that partner with businesses, postsecondary institutions, workforce investment boards, labor organizations, or nonprofit community organizations. Requires such grants to be used to: (1) assess emerging industry pathways and the academic skills needed to succeed in such pathways; (2) develop school- and work-based curricula or programs to teach such skills; (3) implement the new curricula or programs in schools where at least 30% of the students are impoverished, that [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1677)

Bill Text
To provide assistance to local educational agencies in areas of the Midwest adversely affected by storms and severe flooding that occurred in May and June, 2008, and for other purposes. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Midwest Schools Disaster Recovery Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make payments to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin to enable such states to assist their local educational agencies (LEAs) in recovering from the severe storms and flooding that hit the Midwest during the months of May and June, 2008. Protects such LEAs, that serve major disaster areas due to those storms and floods, from experiencing a FY2009 reduction of school improvement funds under part A of title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Authorizes the Secretary to waive or modify the application of maintenance of effort and cost-sharing conditions on the receipt [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 06/26/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish grants to increase student attendance.

6/26/2008--Introduced.

Increasing Student Achievement through School Attendance Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational agencies, states, and Indian tribes for the implementation of innovative measures to increase school attendance by preventing student truancy, suspension, and expulsion.

Includes among such measures: (1) collaboration between school systems, the legal system, child welfare agencies, and community-based organizations; (2) training school personnel in positive student behavioral interventions and graduated disciplinary practices; and (3) staffing of school suspension and expulsion programs with student support services personnel.

Latest Action: 04/30/2008 - Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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 co

Bill Text
To establish the Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Foundation, and for other purposes. 4/30/2008--Introduced. Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Act of 2008 - Establishes as an independent executive branch entity the Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Foundation, to be located in Portland, Oregon. Requires the Foundation to: (1) develop resources to train Native American and Alaska Native tribal council members in self-government and related fields; (2) foster greater recognition and understanding of the role of tribal self-government in the development of the United States; (3) identify critical issues facing tribal governments; (4) establish a program for tribal governance research at the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University; and (5) provide educational outreach regarding tribal self-government. Authorizes the Foundation to award: (1) scholarships to [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 05/06/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to prevent and cure diabetes and to promote and improve the care of individuals with diabetes for the reduction of health disparities within racial and ethnic minority groups, including the African-American, Hispanic American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. 5/6/2008--Introduced. Diabetes Prevention Access and Care Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to: (1) conduct, coordinate, and support research and other activities with respect to pre-diabetes and diabetes in minority populations; and (2) conduct and support programs to treat diabetes in minority populations.Requires the Director of NIH, through the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, to provide for: (1) health care professionals' mentoring; and (2) minority health professionals' participation in diabetes-focused [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 04/30/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to establish the Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Foundation and for other purposes. 4/30/2008--Introduced. Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Act of 2008 - Establishes as an independent executive branch entity the Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Foundation, to be located in Portland, Oregon. Requires the Foundation to: (1) develop resources to train Native American and Alaska Native tribal council members in self-government and related fields; (2) foster greater recognition and understanding of the role of tribal self-government in the development of the United States; (3) identify critical issues facing tribal governments; (4) establish a program for tribal governance research at the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University; and (5) provide educational outreach regarding tribal self-government. Authorizes the Foundation to award: (1) scholarships [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 03/13/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/14/2008 S2142)

Bill Text
A bill to provide for Kindergarten Plus programs. 3/13/2008--Introduced. Kindergarten Plus Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states to provide Kindergarten Plus (K+) programs of voluntary full days of kindergarten during the summer before and the summer after their traditional kindergarten school year. Directs the Secretary to ensure, to the extent possible, that each grant is of sufficient size to enable the state to provide K+ to all eligible students served by the local educational agencies (LEAs) within the state with the highest concentrations of eligible students. Makes children eligible to participate in such programs if they are: (1) five-years old or will be eligible to attend kindergarten at the beginning of the next school year; (2) from a family with an income at or below 185% of the poverty line; and (3) not already served by a high-quality program in the summer before or the summer after the child enters [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 03/12/2008 - Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1560-1561)

Bill Text
To reauthorize and reform the national service laws. 3/10/2008--Introduced. Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, or the GIVE Act - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (NSCA) and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (DVSA) to revise the programs under such Acts and reauthorize appropriations for such programs through FY2012. Revises under NSCA: (1) the School-Based and Community-Based Service-Learning programs and Higher Education Innovative Programs for Community Service (Learn and Serve programs); (2) National Service Trust programs (AmeriCorps); (3) the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC); and (4) the Investment for Quality and Innovation program. Eliminates the current Community-Based Learn and Serve programs. Establishes a new Learn and Serve program, Innovative Service-Learning Programs and Research, providing matching grants to: (1) provide community service-learning opportunities to elementary and [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 09/09/2008 - Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Dorgan without amendment. With written report No. 110-450.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for equitable compensation to the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation for the use of tribal land for the production of hydropower by the Grand Coulee Dam, and for other purposes. 9/9/2008--Reported to 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.)Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation Grand Coulee Dam Equitable Compensation Settlement Act - Establishes in the Treasury the Spokane Tribe of Indians Settlement Fund to compensate the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation in the state of Washington for the use of its land for the generation of hydropower by the Grand Coulee Dam. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) make payments to the Fund in FY2008-FY2012; (2) pay compensation from the Fund to the Spokane Business Council.Requires [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 09/25/2008 - Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Dorgan without amendment. With written report No. 110-506.

Bill Text
A bill to enhance and provide to the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Angostura Irrigation Project certain benefits of the Pick-Sloan Missouri River basin program. 12/14/2007--Introduced. Oglala Sioux Tribe Angostura Irrigation Project Modernization and Development Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) carry out the modernization and improvement of the facilities at the Angostura Unit of the Pick-Sloan Missouri River basin program; and (2) provide for the delivery of water saved through such modernization and improvement for fish and wildlife purposes and environmental restoration on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (South Dakota).Establishes the Oglala Sioux Tribal Development Trust Fund.Requires the Tribal Council of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota to prepare a plan for the use of payments to the Tribe out of the Fund.Prohibits distribution of any payment to any member of the Tribe on a per capita basis.States that no payment made [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 12/13/2007 - Referred to House Energy and Commerce

Bill Text
To direct each Federal agency to establish an Environmental Justice Office, and for other purposes. 12/13/2007--Introduced. Environmental Justice Access and Implementation Act of 2007 - Requires specified federal agencies to establish an Office of Environmental Justice pursuant to Executive Order 12898 (concerning federal actions to address environmental justice in minority and low-income populations).Defines "environmental justice" as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, educational level, or income in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. Requires the inclusion of minority and low-income populations with health vulnerabilities and exposure to certain environmental conditions in criteria for defining an environmental justice community. Requires federal agencies to integrate the environmental justice strategy developed under Executive [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 02/05/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To reauthorize the impact aid program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 12/13/2007--Introduced. Fair Funding for Schools Act - Amends the Impact Aid program (which compensates local educational agencies (LEAs) for the financial burden of federal activities affecting their areas) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to alter the formula for determining the payments due LEAs for federal ownership of property when appropriations for a fiscal year are insufficient to provide them with full compensation. Alters the formula for determining the payments due LEAs for eligible federally-connected children. Includes not only children in average daily attendance, but also those enrolled pursuant to a state open enrollment policy. Continues an LEA's eligibility for such payments while activities associated with military base closures and realignments or force structure changes or relocations are ongoing. Allows the calculation of [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 11/15/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for the issuance of bonds to provide funding for the construction of schools of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and for other purposes. 11/15/2007--Introduced. Indian School Construction Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a pilot program under which eligible Indian tribes have the authority to issue tribal school modernization bonds to provide funds for the construction, rehabilitation, and repair of tribal schools, including advance planning and design.Permits a tribe to use amounts received through a bond issue to enter contracts: (1) for the design and engineering of the school; and (2) with financial advisors, underwriters, attorneys, trustees, and other professionals to provide assistance to the tribe in issuing bonds.Makes any tribal school modernization bond issued by a tribe subject to a trust agreement. Authorizes the Secretary to deposit not more than $50 million into a tribal school modernization escrow account [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 02/05/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
To provide for the issuance of bonds to provide funding for the construction of schools of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and for other purposes. 11/15/2007--Introduced. Indian School Construction Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a pilot program under which eligible Indian tribes have the authority to issue tribal school modernization bonds to provide funds for the construction, rehabilitation, and repair of tribal schools, including advance planning and design.Permits a tribe to use amounts received through a bond issue to enter contracts: (1) for the design and engineering of the school; and (2) with financial advisors, underwriters, attorneys, trustees, and other professionals to provide assistance to the tribe in issuing bonds.Makes any tribal school modernization bond issued by a tribe subject to a trust agreement. Authorizes the Secretary to deposit not more than $50 million into a tribal school modernization escrow account and to [...]

show full description
Latest Action: 11/09/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To expand the public awareness of science, technology, engineering, and math and encourage Americans to study and enter those fields as a matter of strategic importance for the United States.

11/9/2007--Introduced.

STEM Promotion Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to contract with successful advertising firms to implement a campaign to expand the population of qualified individuals in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields by encouraging young Americans to enter those fields.

Requires that such a campaign be designed to: (1) enhance the image of education and professions in the STEM fields and promote participation in such fields; (2) hold as a high priority making specific appeals to Latinos, Native Americans, African-Americans, and women in order to increase their numbers in STEM fields; and (3) include a narrowly focused effort to attract current professionals in STEM fields into teaching in elementary and secondary schools.

Latest Action: 08/31/2008 - Cleared for White House.

Bill Text
To amend and extend the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes. 8/14/2008--Public Law.    (There are 4 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since the Conference Report was filed in the House on July 30, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Higher Education Opportunity Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise and reauthorize HEA programs. Title I: General Provisions - (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. (Sec. 102) Revises the definition of an IHE for purposes of title [...]

show full description