All Electronic government information Legislation - Federal Government

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to enhance charitable giving and improve disclosure and tax administration. 9/27/2008--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.)Charity Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify rules and definitions relating to the excise tax on distributions from donor advised funds (charitable funds in which a donor has, or reasonably expects to have, advisory privileges with respect to the distribution or investment of amounts held in such funds by reason of his or her status as a donor). Excludes from the definition of "donor advised fund" charitable funds that receive contributions or are advised solely by one or more public charities or governmental entities. Exempts certain scholarship distributions from the [...]

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To evaluate and extend the basic pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation and to ensure the protection of Social Security beneficiaries. 7/31/2008--Introduced.    (There is 1 other summary) Employee Verification Amendment Act of 2008 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to extend the employment eligibility confirmation pilot programs (which includes the E-Verify basic pilot program). Directs the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into a fiscal year agreement which shall: (1) provide funds to the Commissioner for such programs' full costs in quarterly advances; and (2) require an annual accounting and reconciliation of costs incurred and funds provided. Provides for funding continuation in the absence of an agreement. Requires that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct studies regarding: (1) erroneous tentative nonconfirmations [...]

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To amend the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program. 9/17/2008--Passed House without amendment.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization of 2008 - Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program through FY2015 and to revise program requirements to: (1) provide for competitive grants to nonprofit organizations to assist in locating missing patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; (2) expand such program to include locating other missing elderly individuals; (3) require the Attorney General to solicit grants for program applications in the Federal Register and on the Department of Justice (DOJ) website;[...]

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To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish a program of fees relating to generic new animal drugs. 7/30/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to assess and collect fees for an abbreviated application for a generic new animal drug, including application fees, product fees, and sponsor fees.Sets forth total revenue to be collected for each type of fee for FY2009-FY2013.Provides for fee adjustments. Requires the Secretary to establish such fees each fiscal year.Provides for fee waivers where the Secretary finds that the generic new animal drug is intended solely to provide for a minor use or minor species indication.Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2013.Requires the Secretary to report to Congress and make publicly available information [...]

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To require certain standards and enforcement provisions to prevent child abuse and neglect in residential programs, and for other purposes. 6/25/2008--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.) Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Directs the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to require each location of a covered program to meet specified minimum standards if individually or together with other locations it has an effect on interstate commerce. Defines "covered program" as one operated by a public or private entity that with respect to one or more children unrelated to the program owner or operator: (1) provides a residential environment; and (2) operates with a focus on serving [...]

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An original bill making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security 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.)Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2009 - Title I: Department of Homeland Security Departmental Management and Operations - Makes appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2009 for the Offices of the Secretary, the Under Secretary for Management, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Information Officer, the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, and the Inspector General.Title II: Security, Enforcement, and Investigations - Makes appropriations for FY2009 for: (1) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including [...]

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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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To establish a scholarship program to encourage outstanding graduate students in mission-critical fields to pursue a career in the Federal Government. 5/22/2008--Introduced. Roosevelt Scholars Act of 2008 - Establishes the Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship Foundation as an independent establishment in the executive branch. Directs the Foundation to award scholarships in an annual nationwide competition to individuals (to be known as "Roosevelt Scholars") who are: (1) enrolled in or seeking admission to accredited full-time graduate studies that prepare such individuals for occupations that are critical to the missions of federal agencies; and (2) nominated by persons that have direct knowledge of their academic or work experience. Sets the maximum scholarship amount at $60,000 for each of up to five academic years, covering tuition, room and board, books, and fees. Requires Roosevelt Scholars to: (1) agree to serve in the federal government for [...]

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To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers to keep records of non-employees who perform labor or services for remuneration and to provide a special penalty for employers who misclassify employees as non-employees, and for other purposes. 5/21/2008--Introduced. Employee Misclassification Prevention Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require every employer to: (1) keep records of non-employees (contractors) who perform labor or services (except substitute work) for remuneration; and (2) provide certain notice to each employee and non-employee, including their classification as an employee or non-employee and information concerning their rights under the law. Makes it unlawful for any person to fail to accurately classify an employee or non-employee. Doubles the amount of liquidated damages for maximum hours, minimum wage, and notice of classification violations by an employer. Subjects a person who repeatedly or willfully violates [...]

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Directing the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives to provide individuals whose pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer by electronic funds transfer with the option of receiving receipts of pay and withholdings electronically. 9/11/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on September 8, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Requires the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the House of Representatives to take necessary steps to provide individuals whose pay is disbursed by the CAO, by electronic funds transfer, with the option of: (1) receiving electronic receipt of such pay and its accompanying withholdings; (2) viewing electronically the individual's employee statement required under the Internal Revenue Code; and (3) revising electronically the individual's number of deductions and withholdings [...]

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To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to mandate early access by desperately ill patients to treatment use of new drugs under clinical investigation for a serious or immediately life-threatening disease condition for whom no comparable or satisfactory drug or other therapy is available. 5/14/2008--Introduced. Early Access to Treatment Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require a drug that is not approved for marketing, but that is under clinical investigation for a serious or immediately life-threatening disease condition in patients for whom no comparable or satisfactory alternative drug or other therapy is available, to be made available for treatment use by an individual patient if: (1) the drug is intended to treat such condition; (2) there is no comparable or satisfactory alternative available to treat that stage of the disease; (3) the drug is under investigation in a controlled clinical trial as an investigational new drug or all clinical [...]

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To provide for an evaluation factor for defense contractors employing or subcontracting with recipients of certain special immigrant visas. 5/13/2008--Introduced. Defines, for this Act: (1) "covered contract" as a Department of Defense (DOD) procurement contract in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom regarding which proficiency in Arabic or knowledge of Iraq is useful; and (2) "covered special immigrant visa" as a visa issued under specified provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (relating to special immigrant status for certain Iraqis) or the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (relating to special immigrant status for persons serving as translators with the U.S. Armed Forces). Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in evaluating any bid or proposal for a covered contract, to use as an evaluation factor whether an entity intends to carry out the contract using an employee or individual subcontractor [...]

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To require hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to disclose charge-related information and to provide price protection for treatments not covered by insurance as conditions for receiving protection from charge-related legal actions. 5/8/2008--Introduced. Hospital and ASC Price Disclosure and Litigation Protection Act of 2008 - Prohibits a charge-related legal action from being brought by an individual against a hospital or ambulatory surgical center if the hospital or center: (1) has met the requirements under this Act; (2) has entered into an agreement with the uninsured individual before treatment that sets the maximum price that will be charged for such treatment; and (3) has met the terms of such agreement.Sets forth disclosures that a hospital or center must provide to an individual who is scheduled to receive treatment and include in any itemized bill, including: (1) the estimated price or the price charged for the treatment; (2) the payment rate for the [...]

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A bill to improve food safety through mandatory meat, meat product, poultry, and poultry product recall authority, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to improve communication about recalls with schools participating in the school lunch and breakfast programs, and for other purposes. 5/1/2008--Introduced. Safe School Lunch Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to order an immediate halt to the distribution of meat, meat food products, poultry, or poultry products upon finding that they may cause a serious, adverse health consequence or be adulterated. Gives persons subject to such an order the opportunity for an informal hearing, within 10 days after the order's issuance, on the actions required by the order and on whether it should be amended to require a recall of the targeted items. Requires the Secretary to order the recall of such items upon affirming that the order [...]

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To require certain standards and enforcement provisions to prevent child abuse and neglect in residential programs, and for other purposes. 5/22/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Directs the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to require each location of a covered program to meet specified minimum standards if individually or together with other locations it has an effect on interstate commerce. Defines "covered program" as one not operated by a governmental entity that for children unrelated to the program owner or operator: (1) provides a residential environment; and (2) operates with a focus on serving children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health problems or disorders, or problems with alcohol or substance abuse. Directs the Assistant Secretary to require each [...]

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To enhance the reliability of information in the Automated Export System, and for other purposes. 4/17/2008--Introduced. Securing Exports Through Coordination and Technology Act - Amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 to revise filing requirements under the Automated Export System (AES). Requires carriers obliged to file Shipper's Export Declarations to file them through AES (either directly or through intermediaries) before items are exported from any U.S. port, unless the Secretary of Commerce grants an exception. (Under current law such a filing may be made after departure of the carrier from the port or place of exportation or transportation.) Defines "intermediary" as a freight forwarder, a non-vessel operating common carrier, or an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) Carnet and its service providers. Sets forth requirements regarding: (1) the confidentiality and the sharing of Shipper's Export Declarations [...]

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To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve food safety. 4/16/2008--Introduced. Keeping America's Food Safe Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require: (1) certification of any food safety laboratory or a sampling service that is analyzing, testing, or collecting samples of imported food; and (2) such laboratories or services to submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services the results of all tests conducted on behalf of an importer.Sets forth civil penalties for: (1) an importer that knowingly engages in the falsification of test results submitted to the Secretary; and (2) a laboratory or service that knowingly submits false test results to the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to establish a certification program to ensure that imported food meets the food safety standards applied to food produced in the United States.Prohibits food from being permitted entry into the United States from a foreign [...]

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To amend title 44, United States Code, to require preservation of certain electronic records by Federal agencies, to require a certification and reports relating to Presidential records, and for other purposes. 7/9/2008--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Electronic Message Preservation Act - Requires the Archivist of the United States to promulgate regulations governing federal agency preservation of electronic messages that are federal records and to periodically review and amend, as necessary, such regulations. Requires such regulations to: (1) require the electronic capture, management, and preservation of such electronic records in accordance with the Federal Records Act; (2) require such records to be retrievable through electronic searches; (3) establish mandatory minimum functional requirements for electronic records management systems and a process to certify federal agency compliance with such requirements; (4) include timelines [...]

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