Latest Action: 09/11/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Bill Text
A bill to require United States Government representatives to present to the Government of Iraq a plan to establish an oil trust.

9/11/2008--Introduced.

Support for Iraq Oil Trust Act of 2008 - Withholds specified percentages of Economic Support Fund assistance for Iraq unless the Secretary of State certifies within specified time periods to the appropriate congressional committees that U.S. government representatives have presented an oil trust plan to Iraqi government representatives.

Latest Action: 09/04/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Bill Text
To ensure the fair treatment of a member of the Armed Forces who is discharged from the Armed Forces, at the request of the member, pursuant to the Department of Defense policy permitting the early discharge of a member who is the only surviving child in a family in which the father or mother, or one or more siblings, served in the Armed Forces and, because of hazards incident to such service, was killed, died as a result of wounds, accident, or disease, is in a captured or missing in action status, or is permanently disabled, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the dollar limitation on contributions to funeral trusts, and for other purposes. 8/29/2008--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Hubbard Act - Amends federal employment, armed forces, military pay, and veterans' benefits law to authorize the provision [...]

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Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
To make technical corrections related to the Pension Protection Act of 2006, and for other purposes. 7/9/2008--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.) Pension Protection Technical Corrections Act of 2008 - Title I: Technical Corrections Related to the Pension Protection Act of 2006 - (Sec. 101) Makes technical corrections to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to conform to the Pension Protection Act of 2006 regarding various specified items, including: (1) the target normal cost of benefits; (2) specified implementation and effective dates for certain requirements; (3) one-participant retirement plans; (4) special age-related rules in accrued benefit requirements for applicable defined benefit plans; (5) inapplicability [...]

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Latest Action: 06/23/2008 - Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Mikulski. With written report No. 110-397.

Bill Text
An original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, science, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. 6/23/2008--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.)Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009 -Makes appropriations for FY2009 for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, for science-related programs, and related agencies.Title I: Department of Commerce - Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2009 - Makes appropriations for the Department of Commerce for FY2009 for: (1) the International Trade Administration; (2) the Bureau of Industry and Security; (3) the Economic Development Administration; (4) the Minority Business Development Agency; (5) economic [...]

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Latest Action: 05/22/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4803)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for S corporation reform, and for other purposes.

5/22/2008--Introduced.

S Corporation Modernization Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax treatment of S corporations by: (1) reducing from 10 to seven years the period during which S corporation built-in gains are subject to tax; (2) repealing mandatory termination of S corporation elections for excessive passive investment income; (3) allowing S corporations to increase passive investment income from 25 to 60% without incurring additional tax; (4) allowing nonresident aliens to be potential current beneficiaries of an electing small business trust (ESBT); (5) allowing individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to be S corporation shareholders; and (6) allowing ESBTs to claim expanded charitable tax deductions.

Latest Action: 05/01/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3704-3706)

Bill Text
A bill to ensure that persons who form corporations in the United States disclose the beneficial owners of those corporations, in order to prevent wrongdoers from exploiting United States corporations for criminal gain, to assist law enforcement in detecting, preventing, and punishing terrorism, money laundering, and other misconduct involving United States corporations, and for other purposes. 5/1/2008--Introduced. Incorporation Transparency and Law Enforcement Assistance Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to: (1) establish uniform requirements for states relating to the disclosure of beneficial owners of corporations and limited liability companies formed in such states and the updating of such disclosures; (2) require states to maintain beneficial ownership disclosure information for five years after a corporation or limited liability company is terminated; (3) impose additional identification requirements for the beneficial owners of corporations or limited [...]

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Latest Action: 05/07/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals a refundable and advancable credit against income tax for health insurance costs, to allow employees who elect not to participate in employer subsidized health plans an exclusion from gross income for employer payments in lieu of such participations, and for other purposes. 4/29/2008--Introduced. Patients' Health Care Reform Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment and governance of : (1) HealthMarts, which are nonprofit organizations that offer health benefits coverage to employers, employees, and individuals through contracts with health insurance issuers; and (2) individual membership associations (IMAs), which are organizations that offer health benefits coverage to members through health insurance issuer contracts. Requires the Secretary of Heath and Human Services to pay 50% of a state's costs to provide health benefits coverage under a high-risk pool, a reinsurance [...]

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Latest Action: 04/17/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to provide for specified civil penalties for violations of that Act, and for other purposes. 4/17/2008--Introduced. Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Enforcement Act of 2008 - Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (Landrum-Griffin Act) to make a labor organization liable to any of its members for a civil money penalty of up to $250 for each day that it fails to provide such member information regarding the organization's constitution, bylaws, organization report, and annual financial report, including any books, records, and accounts necessary to verify such reports. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to bring an action in U.S. district court for injunctive relief and enforcement of administrative penalties against any person who has violated or is about to violate any reporting requirements of such Act, including those applying to a labor organization which has [...]

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Latest Action: 07/09/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises.

Bill Text
To amend the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986 to increase insurance competition and available coverage for consumers. 4/15/2008--Introduced. Increasing Insurance Coverage Options for Consumers Act of 2008 - Amends the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986 to cover risk retention groups offering commercial property insurance. Applies the exemption of purchasing groups from state law to commercial property insurance. Terminates the inclusion in risk retention groups under the Act of any such group chartered, licensed, or authorized under the laws of Bermuda or the Cayman Islands. Prescribes general corporate governance standards for such groups, together with license or charter criteria regarding state examination authority and minimum requirements for safety and soundness. Prohibits a risk retention group from participating in an insurance insolvency guaranty association that includes participants other than risk retention groups. Revises procedures [...]

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Latest Action: 04/10/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act to provide for specified civil penalties for violations of that Act, and for other purposes. 4/10/2008--Introduced. Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Enforcement Act of 2008 - Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (Landrum-Griffin Act) to make a labor organization liable to any of its members for a civil money penalty of up to $250 for each day that it fails to provide such member information regarding the organization's constitution, bylaws, organization report, and annual financial report, including any books, records, and accounts necessary to verify such reports. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to bring an action in U.S. district court for injunctive relief and enforcement of administrative penalties against any person who has violated or is about to violate any reporting requirements of such Act, including those applying to a labor organization which has or assumes trusteeship [...]

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Latest Action: 04/28/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.

Bill Text
To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and title 11, United State Code, to provide necessary reforms for employee pension benefit plans. 4/9/2008--Introduced. Employees’ Pension Security Act of 2008 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require assets of single-employer pension plans to be held in trust by joint boards of trustees. Requires plan sponsors and administrators to provide all material investment information in an accurate form to participants and beneficiaries. Authorizes the Secretary to assess civil penalties for violations of certain information requirements. Sets forth additional requirements for plan termination, to prevent abuse of the bankruptcy and termination process, including requirements relating to: (1) distress termination; (2) bankruptcy court decrees, and the right to intervene to challenge them; (3) consideration of alternatives by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation [...]

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Latest Action: 03/11/2008 - Star Print ordered on the bill.

Bill Text
A bill to aid families and neighborhoods facing home foreclosure and address the subprime mortgage crisis. 3/7/2008--Introduced. Security Against Foreclosures and Education Act, or the SAFE Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow proceeds of qualified mortgage bonds to be used to refinance certain residential subprime loans. Requires the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation to continue to award expeditiously certain funds already provided for mortgage foreclosure counseling. Amends the Code to allow purchasers of certain single-family principal residences a one-time tax credit. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to: (1) revise creditor mortgage loan disclosure requirements; and (2) increase civil damages for noncompliance with such Act. Amends the Code to: (1) allow a five-year carryback of net operating losses for certain taxable years; and (2) suspend through taxable year 2009 the 90% of alternative minimum taxable income limit for certain [...]

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Latest Action: 02/14/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance and improve insurance, housing, labor and education, and other benefits for veterans, and for other purposes. 2/14/2008--Introduced. Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008 - Revises veterans' insurance benefits matters to: (1) direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to grant level-premium term life insurance to certain service-disabled veterans; (2) increase the maximum amount of supplemental service disabled veterans' insurance for totally disabled veterans; (3) provide retroactive traumatic injury coverage under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program for certain members of the Armed Forces who incurred a traumatic injury in the line of duty; (4) provide for the designation of a recipient of funds for traumatic injury coverage when the member is mentally incapacitated or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness; and (5) increase the maximum loan guarantee amount under the veterans' [...]

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Latest Action: 12/19/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for S corporation reform, and for other purposes. 12/19/2007--Introduced. S Corporation Modernization Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax treatment of S corporations, including by: (1) reducing from 10 to 7 years the period during which S corporation built-in gains are subject to tax; (2) allowing nonresident aliens to qualify as beneficiaries of an electing small business trust (ESBT); (3) repealing mandatory termination of S corporation elections for excessive passive investment income; (4) allowing S corporations to increase passive investment income from 25 to 60% without incurring additional tax; (5) allowing individual retirement accounts to be S corporation shareholders; and (6) allowing ESBTs to claim expanded charitable tax deductions.Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on entity neutrality under the Internal Revenue Code with respect to S corporations,[...]

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Latest Action: 12/20/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Bill Text
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide that a duty of the Board of Trustees of the Social Security Trust funds is to hold them in trust for the beneficiaries and to ensure that the assets of such trust funds are not diverted, and to authorize investment of such trust funds in securities that are not limited to obligations of the United States or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States. 12/19/2007--Introduced. Social Security Trust Funds Investment Act of 2007 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to revise the duty of the Board of Trustees of the Social Security Trust Funds is to hold the Funds. Specifies that it is a duty to hold the Funds in trust for the beneficiaries and to ensure that the assets of the Funds are not diverted.Authorizes investment of the Funds in securities that are not limited to obligations of the United States or obligations guaranteed [...]

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Latest Action: 12/19/2007 - Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction

Bill Text
To provide for each American the opportunity to provide for his or her retirement through a S.A.F.E. account, and for other purposes. 12/19/2007--Introduced. Savings Account for Every American Act of 2007 - Allows employees and self-employed individuals with a social security number to elect to participate in a S.A.F.E. account. Defines such an account as a trust created exclusively for the benefit of an individual or his or her beneficiaries. Requires: (1) employers of electing employees to establish a payroll deduction program to make employee contributions (6.2% of wages) to such accounts; and (2) employer matching contributions after a participating employee has maintained an account for 15 years. Imposes penalties on employers who fail to make required payroll deductions or pay deducted wages to S.A.F.E. accounts. Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to study and report to the President and Congress on extending S.A.F.E. accounts to federal civilian [...]

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Latest Action: 12/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Bill Text
Providing for the appointment of John W. McCarter as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

12/4/2007--Introduced.

Provides for the appointment of John W. McCarter as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

Latest Action: 03/14/2008 - Signed by President.

Bill Text
A joint resolution providing for the appointment of John W. McCarter as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

3/14/2008--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries)

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Provides for the appointment of John W. McCarter as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

Latest Action: 11/14/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S14401)

Bill Text
A bill to increase the annual salaries of justices and judges of the United States, and to increase fees for bankruptcy trustees.

11/14/2007--Introduced.

Fair Judicial Compensation Act of 2007 - Increases by 16.5% the annual salaries of the Chief Justice of the United States, associate justices of the Supreme Court, U.S. circuit judges, U.S. district judges, and judges of the United States Court of International Trade.

Amends the federal bankruptcy code to increase fees for bankruptcy trustees.

Latest Action: 11/13/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to restructure and replace the income tax system of the United States to meet national priorities, and for other purposes. 11/13/2007--Introduced. Simplified USA Tax Act of 2007 - Repeals, after 2006, income tax and estate and gift tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Replaces such Code with a new tax system, to be known as the Simplified USA Tax. Establishes three income tax brackets at 15, 25, and 30% for individual taxpayers. Redefines "gross income" and allows certain exclusions from gross income, including previously-taxed benefits, tax-exempt bond interest, compensation for injuries and sickness, and gain from the sale of a principal residence. Allows tax deductions for alimony and child support, home mortgage interest, certain higher education expenses, and charitable contributions. Allows a tax credit for employee social security payroll taxes.Revises rules for Roth individual retirement [...]

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Latest Action: 02/13/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E185)

Bill Text
To revise the composition of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution so that all members are individuals appointed by the President from a list of nominees submitted by the leadership of the Congress, and for other purposes.

11/6/2007--Introduced.

Smithsonian Modernization Act of 2007 - Revises provisions regarding the composition of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution by providing for the membership of the Regents to be composed of 21 members who shall be appointed by the President from among a list of nominees submitted by the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate.

Revises the number of Regents who shall constitute a quorum to do business.

Revises requirements for the terms of office for Regents. Permits Regents to be reappointed.

Latest Action: 11/06/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the rules relating to coins and bullion that may be held by individual retirement accounts and certain other individually-directed accounts.

11/6/2007--Introduced.

Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to bullion held in individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and other tax-exempt individually directed retirement plans to allow: (1) such bullion to be held in the form of a bar, ingot, or coin; (2) IRA trustees to satisfy physical possession requirements for such bullion by merely holding indicia of ownership; and (3) the transfer of the physical possession of such bullion to a custodian engaged in the business of holding bullion, coins, and precious metals.

Latest Action: 12/31/2007 - Became Public Law No: 110-174.

Bill Text
An original bill to authorize State and local governments to divest assets in companies that conduct business operations in Sudan, to prohibit United States Government contracts with such companies, and for other purposes. 12/31/2007--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on December 12, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Defines specified terms. (Sec. 3) Expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. government should support a state or local government decision to divest from or prohibit the investment of state or local assets in a person determined to pose a financial or reputational risk. Authorizes a state or local government to divest state or local assets or prohibit investment of state or local assets in persons that are conducting or have direct investments in business [...]

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