Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Bill Text
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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Latest Action: 07/09/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Bill Text
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to prohibit the display of Social Security account numbers on Medicare cards.

6/26/2008--Introduced.

Medicare Card Security Act of 2008 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to direct the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that Social Security numbers are not displayed on Medicare cards.

Latest Action: 06/19/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to amend tile XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce fraud under the Medicare program. 6/19/2008--Introduced. Seniors and Taxpayers Obligation Protection Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and implement procedures to change the Medicare beneficiary identifer used to identify individuals entitled to benefits under part A (Hospital Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), or enrolled under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), so that such an individual's Social Security number is not used. Amends SSA title XVIII to direct the Secretary to establish and implement a system to verify on a monthly basis that the claims for reimbursement under Medicare part B for physicians' services furnished in high risk areas are: (1) for physicians' services actually furnished by the physician (or the physician's group practice); and (2) otherwise accurate. Requires the Secretary to establish [...]

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Latest Action: 06/05/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5214-5215)

Bill Text
A bill to extend and improve the effectiveness of the employment eligibility confirmation program. 6/5/2008--Introduced. Electronic Employment Verification Reauthorization Act of 2008 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to make the employment eligibility confirmation pilot programs permanent. Redesignates the basic pilot program as the E-verify program (program). Requires that any person or employer that enters into a federal contract participate in the program. Requires that an employer electing to verify the employment eligibility of existing employees do so not later than 10 days after notifying the Secretary of Homeland Security of such election. Authorizes the Secretary to require an employer or class of employers to participate in the program if the Secretary has reasonable cause to believe that the employer has engaged in material employment violations under the Immigration and Nationality Act.[...]

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Latest Action: 05/06/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3798)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and enhance veterans' benefits, and for other purposes. 5/6/2008--Introduced. Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008 - Revises or adds federal veterans' benefits provisions to, among other things: (1) reduce the waiting period for a veteran's affirmation of enrollment in a correspondence course; (2) eliminate the requirement that a veteran or beneficiary make a separate application for a program change at an educational institution; (3) eliminate a minimum wage-earning requirement in the case of self-employment on-job training; (4) authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to stay adjudication of a veteran's claim when necessary to preserve the integrity of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-administered program; (5) authorize memorial headstones or markers for deceased remarried surviving spouses of veterans; (6) make permanent the VA authority to fund contracted medical disability examinations; (7) expand Servicemembers' [...]

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Latest Action: 04/24/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Bill Text
A bill to require the Commissioner of Social Security to issue uniform standards for the method for truncation of social security account numbers in order to protect such numbers from being used in the perpetration of fraud or identity theft and to provide for a prohibition on the display to the general public on the Internet of social security account numbers by State and local governments, and for other purposes. 4/24/2008--Introduced. Safeguarding Social Security Numbers Act of 2008 - Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to issue uniform standards for the method for truncation of Social Security account numbers in order to facilitate their protection from use in fraud or identity theft. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the display of Social Security account numbers to the general public on the Internet by state and local governments, except in compliance with such truncation standards. Directs the Attorney General to award grants to state [...]

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Latest Action: 04/24/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to prohibit the display of Social Security account numbers on Medicare cards.

4/24/2008--Introduced.

Medicare Card Security Act of 2008 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to direct the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that Social Security numbers are not displayed on Medicare cards.

Latest Action: 04/16/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Bill Text
To establish procedures for the issuance by the Commissioner of Social Security of "no match" letters to employers, and for the notification of the Secretary of Homeland Security regarding such letters. 4/8/2008--Introduced. Securing the Homeland Through Agency Reporting Enhancement Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) with respect to any case in which the Social Security account number in the wage records of an employee provided by the employer to the Social Security Administration do not match relevant records otherwise maintained by the Administration.Requires the Commissioner of Social Security, in such a case, to send a prompt written notice ("no match" letter): (1) informing the employer of the discrepancies; (2) requesting information that would assist the Commissioner in resolving the discrepancies; and (3) informing the employer that a copy of such notice is being forwarded to assist the Secretary of Homeland Security [...]

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Latest Action: 03/06/2008 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 599.

Bill Text
A bill to close the loophole that allowed the 9/11 hijackers to obtain credit cards from United States banks that financed their terrorists activities, to ensure that illegal immigrants cannot obtain credit cards to evade United States immigration laws, and for other purposes.

3/5/2008--Introduced.

Authorizes a financial institution, when verifying the identity of a non-U.S. citizen or national who is seeking to open a bank account, to accept only: (1) a Social Security number; (2) a passport number and the country of issuance; (3) an alien identification card number; or (4) any combination of such items.

Prohibits a financial institution, for such verification purposes, from accepting identification documents issued by a foreign government, other than an unexpired passport.

Latest Action: 03/06/2008 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 596.

Bill Text
A bill to improve the enforcement of laws prohibiting the employment of unauthorized aliens and for other purposes.

3/5/2008--Introduced.

Worksite Enforcement Act of 2008 - Sets forth immigration-related worksite enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) unlawful employment of aliens; (2) disclosure of taxpayer information; (3) social security cards and identity documents; (4) establishment of a voluntary advanced verification program to allow employers to verify an employee's fingerprints in order to determine identity and work status; (5) responsibilities of the Social Security Administration (SSA); (6) immigration-related activities of the SSA and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and (7) criminal penalties for misuse of social security numbers.

Latest Action: 03/06/2008 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 595.

Bill Text
A bill to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to use an employer's failure to timely resolve discrepancies with the Social Security Administration after receiving a "no match" notice as evidence that the employer violated section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act. 3/5/2008--Introduced. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use an employer's failure to timely resolve discrepancies with the Social Security Administration (SSA) after receiving a "no match" notice as evidence that the employer violated unlawful employment provisions under such Act. Provides that an employee's firing by an employer having constructive knowledge that the employee is not authorized to work in the United States based on SSA notice that the name and number provided by the employee do not match, and cannot be corrected to match, SSA records shall not be considered an unfair immigration-related employment [...]

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Latest Action: 02/14/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1068-1070)

Bill Text
A bill to further United States security by restoring and enhancing the competitiveness of the United States for international students, scholars, scientists, and exchange visitors and by facilitating business travel to the United States. 2/14/2008--Introduced. American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now Act of 2008 or the ACTION Act of 2008 - Directs the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategic plan for increasing U.S. competitiveness for international students, scholars, scientists, and exchange visitors. Establishes in the Executive Office of the President the International Education Coordinating Council. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) revise the "intent" criterion with respect to foreign students; and (2) permit specified employment-based visas to be renewed in the United States. Extends the security clearance for nonimmigrant scientists. Provides for: (1) security [...]

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Latest Action: 02/18/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.

Bill Text
To deny a rebate of Federal income taxes to illegal immigrants.

2/7/2008--Introduced.

Renders nonresident aliens ineligible for any federal income tax rebate enacted by Congress in 2008. Prohibits the payment of any tax rebate to an individual who does not include a valid identification number (i.e., social security number) on a tax return.

Latest Action: 02/25/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Bill Text
To amend title 18, United States Code, and the Social Security Act to limit the misuse of Social Security numbers, to establish criminal penalties for such misuse, and for other purposes. 2/6/2008--Introduced. Social Security Number Misuse Prevention Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the display, sale, or purchase of Social Security numbers without the affirmatively expressed consent of the individual, except in specified circumstances. Directs the Attorney General to study and report to Congress on all the uses of Social Security numbers permitted, required, authorized, or excepted under any federal law, including the impact of such uses on privacy and data security.Establishes a public records exception to the prohibition. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on Social Security numbers in public records. Grants the Attorney General rulemaking authority to enforce this Act's prohibition and to implement and clarify the permitted [...]

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Latest Action: 11/16/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14628-14630)

Bill Text
A bill to establish guidelines and incentives for States to establish arsonist registries and to require the Attorney General to establish a national arsonist registry and notification program, and for other purposes. 11/16/2007--Introduced. Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2007 - Requires jurisdictions (i.e., states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Indian tribes) to establish and maintain jurisdiction-wide arsonist registries and make such registries available on the Internet.Requires a criminal arsonist to register in each jurisdiction in which such arsonist resides, is an employee, or is a student. Sets forth other registration requirements and the information required to be provided in a registry by the criminal arsonist and jurisdictions. Allows jurisdictions to exempt from disclosure certain information about an arsonist, including the arsonist's employer and enrollment at an educational [...]

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Latest Action: 11/16/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to close the loophole that allowed the 9/11 hijackers to obtain credit cards from United States banks that financed their terrorists activities, to ensure that illegal immigrants cannot obtain credit cards to evade United States immigration laws, and for other purposes.

11/16/2007--Introduced.

Authorizes a financial institution, when verifying the identity of a non-U.S. citizen or national who is seeking to open a bank account, to accept only: (1) a Social Security number; (2) a passport number and the country of issuance; (3) an alien identification card number; or (4) any combination of such items.

Prohibits a financial institution, for such verification purposes, from accepting identification documents issued by a foreign government, other than an unexpired passport.

Latest Action: 02/25/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

Bill Text
To reform immigration to serve the national interest. 11/15/2007--Introduced. Optimizing Visa Entry Rules and Demanding Uniform Enforcement Immigration Reform Act of 2007 or the OVERDUE Immigration Reform Act of 2007 - Revises worldwide immigration level and visa allotment provisions, including establishment of specified new nonimmigrant classifications. Provides citizenship or nationality at birth for a person born in the United States only if such child was born to parents, one of whom is: (1) a U.S. citizen or national; or (2) a lawful permanent resident alien. Authorizes the use of the military to help secure the borders. Provides for increases of immigration and border enforcement personnel. Suspends the visa waiver program. Provides criminal penalties and forfeiture for unlawful presence in the United States. Provides for listing of immigration violators in the National Crime Information Center Database. Increases civil [...]

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Latest Action: 11/05/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide for the issuance of Social Security cards with enhanced security features, to provide that wages earned, and self-employment income derived, by individuals while such individuals were not citizens or nationals of the United States and were illegally in the United States shall not be credited for coverage under the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program under such title, and to provide for the issuance of Social Security cards to illegal aliens, and for other purposes. 11/5/2007--Introduced. Non-Citizen Identification Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to require the issuance of Social Security cards with specified enhanced security features. Allows the Commissioner of Social Security to charge a reasonable fee to the recipient as a condition for issuance of such a card. Provides that, in the computation of an individual's [...]

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Latest Action: 11/02/2007 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.

Bill Text
A bill to strengthen immigration enforcement and border security and for other purposes. 11/1/2007--Introduced. Immigration Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2007 - Sets forth border control provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) assets, personnel, and infrastructure; (2) ports of entry; (3) border security initiatives; (4) seizure of conveyances; (5) United States-Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology system (US-VISIT); (6) human smuggling: and (7) detention space. Northern Border Prosecution Initiative Reimbursement Act - Establishes the Northern Border Prosecution Initiative to reimburse eligible northern border entities for costs incurred in handling criminal case dispositions that are federally initiated but federally declined-referred. Sets forth interior enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) personnel; (2) detention and removal; (3) gang members; (4) alien smuggling; (5) illegal entry; (6) unlawful presence [...]

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Latest Action: 01/31/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism.

Bill Text
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to strengthen enforcement of the immigration laws, to enhance border security, and for other purposes. 11/1/2007--Introduced. Border Enforcement, Employment Verification, and Illegal Immigration Control Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to: (1) take all appropriate actions, including development of a national border strategy, to maintain operational control over the U.S. international land and maritime borders; (2) report on cross-border security agreements with Mexico and Canada; (3) provide for biometric data enhancements; (4) increase port of entry inspection personnel; (5) report on the airspace security mission's impact on the National Capital Region; (6) reimburse private owners along the border for certain property damage; (7) establish at least one Border Patrol unit for the Virgin Islands; (8) report on Central American gang travel across the U.S.-Mexico border; and (9) deploy radiation portal [...]

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Latest Action: 01/15/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Bill Text
To continue to prohibit the hiring, recruitment, or referral of unauthorized aliens, and for other purposes. 10/29/2007--Introduced. Combat Illegal Immigration Through Employment Verification Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make employment of unauthorized aliens unlawful. Sets forth provisions respecting: (1) employer document verification requirements; and (2) employment authorization and/or identity documents. Sets forth employment eligibility verification system (EEVS) provisions. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) provide for the disclosure of certain taxpayer identity information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assist in immigration enforcement; and (2) increase specified penalties for employer failure to provide correct information returns. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish within the Criminal Investigation office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) a unit to investigate tax-related [...]

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Latest Action: 11/02/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

Bill Text
To improve the availability of benefits for veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans who were exposed while in military service to ionizing radiation, and for other purposes. 10/10/2007--Introduced. Recognition of Forgotten Atomic Veterans and their Surviving Spouses Act of 2007 - Directs the Attorney General (AG) to: (1) obtain from files of the Operations Office of the Department of Energy in Nevada records showing the identity of all atomic veterans (those exposed to ionizing radiation or fallout from the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device); (2) locate such veterans; and (3) advise them of the provisions of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, including the right to file a claim thereunder. Directs the AG, with respect to each identified veteran who is deceased, to locate and advise his or her surviving spouse of such Act and their right to file a claim. Directs the AG to assist each such veteran or surviving spouse in filing such a claim. [...]

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Latest Action: 08/02/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to strengthen immigration enforcement and border security and for other purposes. 8/2/2007--Introduced. Immigration Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2007 - Sets forth border control provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) assets, personnel, and infrastructure; (2) ports of entry; (3) border security initiatives; (4) seizure of conveyances; (5) United States-Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology system (US-VISIT); (6) human smuggling: and (7) detention space. Northern Border Prosecution Initiative Reimbursement Act - Establishes the Northern Border Prosecution Initiative to reimburse eligible northern border entities for costs incurred in handling criminal case dispositions that are federally initiated but federally declined-referred. Sets forth interior enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) personnel; (2) detention and removal; (3) gang members; (4) alien smuggling; (5) illegal entry; (6) unlawful presence [...]

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Latest Action: 08/08/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Bill Text
To prohibit the solicitation and display of Social Security account numbers, and for other purposes. 8/1/2007--Introduced. Social Security Account Number Protection Act - Prohibits any financial or related institution covered by this Act (covered entity), unless for a specific use for which no other identifier reasonably can be employed, from soliciting a Social Security number from an individual except: (1) for use in an identification, verification, accuracy, or identity proofing process; (2) for any purpose permitted under the Fair Credit Reporting Act or the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; or (3) to comply with the requirements of federal, state, or local law. Specifies further exceptions to this prohibition. Prohibits a covered entity from displaying an individual's Social Security account number (or any derivative) on any card or tag commonly provided to employees (or to their family members), faculty, staff, or students for purposes of identification. Prohibits [...]

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Latest Action: 07/27/2007 - Committee on Finance. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Baucus. Without written report.

Bill Text
An original bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. 7/27/2007--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.) Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Title I: Financing of CHIP - (Sec. 101) Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to reauthorize the CHIP program (also known as SCHIP) through FY2012 at increased levels. (Sec. 102) Provides for the determination of allotments for the 50 states and the District of Columbia for FY2008-FY2012. (Sec. 103) Makes a one-time appropriation of additional funds to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for FY2012. (Sec. 104) Revises funding [...]

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Latest Action: 08/14/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Bill Text
To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the feasibility of using military identification numbers instead of social security numbers to identify members of the Armed Forces.

7/23/2007--Introduced.

Directs the Secretary of Defense to study and report to Congress on the feasibility of using a distinct military identification number, instead of a Social Security number, to identify each member of the armed forces.