Latest Action: 06/23/2008 - Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Bill Text
Expressing the sense of Congress that Members' Congressional papers should be properly maintained and encouraging Members to take all necessary measures to manage and preserve these papers.

6/20/2008--Passed Senate without amendment.    (There are 3 other summaries)

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

Declares that it is the sense of Congress that: (1) Members' congressional papers should be properly maintained; (2) each Member of Congress should take all necessary measures to manage and preserve the Member's own congressional papers; and (3) each Member of Congress should be encouraged to arrange for the deposit or donation of the Member's own noncurrent congressional papers with a research institution properly equipped to care for them, and to make these papers available for educational purposes at a time the Member considers appropriate.

Latest Action: 12/11/2007 - Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15143-15144)

Bill Text
A resolution to provide Internet access to certain Congressional Research Service publications. 12/11/2007--Introduced. Directs the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, in consultation with the the Director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS), to make publicly available through a centralized electronic system the following CRS-produced information: (1) Issue Briefs; (2) Reports that are available to Members of Congress through the CRS website; and (3) Authorization of Appropriations and Appropriations Products.Exempts from such requirements: (1) any information determined to be confidential by the CRS Director or the head of a department or agency that provided the information to CRS; and (2) documents, other than those described in clauses (1) through (3), that are the product of a congressional research request.Allows the Sergeant at Arms, in consultation with the CRS Director, to revise the information made publicly available by removing information concerning [...]

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Latest Action: 10/25/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

Bill Text
Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that rescission bills always be considered under open rules every year, and for other purposes. 10/25/2007--Introduced. Cut the Unnecessary Tab Resolution, or CUT Resolution - Amends Rule XIII (Calendars and Committee Reports) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the Committee on Rules from reporting a rule or order that would limit any amendment that would otherwise be in order to a rescission bill. Amends Rule X (Organization of Committees) to require the House Budget Committee, whenever a rescission bill passes the House, to reduce the applicable committee allocations by the total amount of resulting reductions in budget authority and outlays. Amends Rule XIII to require the Majority Leader to introduce a rescission bill by certain dates in each session. Makes any motion to discharge the committee from consideration of such a bill privileged 10 legislative days after its introduction,[...]

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Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to prohibit the payment of individuals to reserve a place in line for a seat for a lobbyist at a congressional committee hearing or business meeting. 10/17/2007--Introduced. Get in Line Act - Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to prohibit any lobbyist or lobbyist-employing organization, either registered or required to register, or any employee listed or required to be listed as a lobbyist by a registrant, from making a payment to an individual to reserve a place in line for a seat for such lobbyist, employee, or organization at a congressional committee hearing or business meeting. Requires the lobbyist, employee, or organization to certify in their semiannual reports on certain contributions that they have read and are familiar with this Act and have not violated it. Requires a Senate committee that is unable to accommodate all persons wishing to sit in the hearing room for a committee hearing or business meeting to: (1) make all reasonable accommodations [...]

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Latest Action: 08/03/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

Bill Text
Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that whenever a bill or joint resolution is introduced that amends existing law, the sponsor provide to the Clerk an electronic version of a comparative print, and for other purposes.

8/3/2007--Introduced.

Amends Rule XII (Receipt and Referral of Measures and Matters) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the reception or consideration in the House of any bill or joint resolution amending existing law unless the Member presenting it also presents an electronic version of a comparative print of any part of such measure proposing to amend any statute, and of the statute or part that is being amended, showing by appropriate typographical devices the omissions and insertions proposed.

Requires the Clerk of the House to post on the Clerk's Internet website the electronic version of each such comparative print as soon as practicable after it is presented.

Latest Action: 06/12/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

Bill Text
Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to strengthen the budget process. 6/12/2007--Introduced. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to: (1) require conference reports to include Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost estimates in their accompanying joint statements if such legislation provides for new budget, spending, or credit authority, or otherwise provides an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures; (2) prohibit consideration of such conference reports if the cost estimates are not included; and (3) require roll call votes on legislation authorizing or providing new budget authority of at least $50 million. Amends Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) to require that any lists of congressional earmarks or limited tax or tariff benefits (and the name of the requesting Member), required for legislation reported or not reported by a committee or included in a conference report, be made publicly available on the Internet in [...]

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Latest Action: 05/24/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Bill Text
To make available on the Internet, for purposes of access and retrieval by the public, certain information available through the Congressional Research Service web site. 5/24/2007--Introduced. Congressional Research Accessibility Act - Requires the Director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to make available through a centralized electronic database, for purposes of access by the public through the websites maintained by Members and committees of the House of Representatives, the following information: (1) CRS issue briefs; (2) CRS reports that are available to Members of Congress through the CRS website; and (3) CRS authorization of appropriations products and appropriations products. Excludes any information that is either confidential or the product of an individual, office, or committee research request. Requires the information to be made accessible between 30 and 40 days after the first day it is available to Members of Congress through the CRS website. [...]

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Latest Action: 05/23/2007 - Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and 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 juris

Bill Text
To provide a biennial budget for the United States Government. 5/23/2007--Introduced. Biennial Budgeting Act of 2008 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require: (1) biennial (instead of annual) budget resolutions; (2) biennial appropriations Acts; and (3) biennial government strategic and performance plans. Makes conforming amendments to the Rules of the House of Representatives. Defines the budget biennium as the two consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of any odd-numbered year. Requires: (1) a federal agency, upon request by a congressional committee, to provide appropriate information regarding its appropriations requests and program administration; (2) the Comptroller General to furnish to such committee summaries of any audits or reviews of such program which the Comptroller General has completed during the preceding six years; and (3) the Comptroller General, Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and the Director [...]

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Latest Action: 06/25/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Bill Text
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit contributions and expenditures by multicandidate political committees controlled by foreign-owned corporations, and for other purposes. 5/16/2007--Introduced. Ethics in Foreign Lobbying Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit contributions and expenditures in federal elections by multicandidate political committees or separate segregated funds sponsored by foreign-controlled corporations and associations (at least 50% owned by a non-U.S. citizen or foreign national). Sets forth ownership and operating fund reporting requirements. Prohibits a foreign national from participating in the decision-making process of any person's election-related activities (such as those of a corporation, labor organization, or political committee). Establishes within the Federal Election Commission a clearinghouse of existing public information regarding the political activities of foreign principals [...]

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Latest Action: 01/11/2007 - Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and the Judiciary, 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 establish the Office of Public Integrity as an independent office within the legislative branch of the Government, to reduce the duties of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate, and for other purposes. 1/11/2007--Introduced. Establishes as an independent office within the legislative branch the Office of Public Integrity to: (1) oversee financial disclosure and other reports filed by Members of Congress, congressional officers and employees, and registered lobbyists; (2) investigate alleged violations of any applicable rule or other standard of conduct; (3) present a case of probable ethics violations to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct or the Senate Select Committee on Ethics (ethics committees); and (4) make recommendations about reporting to the appropriate federal or state authorities any substantial evidence of a violation. Amends Rule XI (Procedures [...]

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Latest Action: 01/09/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process. 1/9/2007--Introduced. Lobbying and Ethics Reform Act of 2007 - Revises the Standing Rules of the Senate or prescribes requirements with respect to: (1) conference reports; (2) elimination of certain floor privileges and other benefits and privileges for former Members, Senate officers, and Speakers of the House who are lobbyists or seek financial gain; (3) a ban on gifts from lobbyists; (4) travel restrictions and disclosure; (5) post-employment restrictions; (6) public disclosure by Members of employment negotiations; (7) conflicts of interest with respect to a Member's spouse or immediate family members; (8) a Member's use of influence on certain hiring decisions; and (9) notices of intent to object to proceeding to a measure or matter. Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) and the Foreign Agents Registration Act with respect to various specified disclosures by registered lobbyists [...]

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Latest Action: 04/26/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4200)

Bill Text
To require poverty impact statements for certain legislation.

1/9/2007--Introduced.

Poverty Impact Trigger Act of 2007 - Amends Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it out of order to consider a public bill or joint resolution authorizing an appropriation of $10 million or more, unless: (1) the accompanying committee report includes a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Poverty Impact Division impact statement; or (2) the chairman of the committee reporting the legislation submits such statement for publication in the Congressional Record before consideration of the measure.

Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to establish the CBO Poverty Impact Division to prepare and submit poverty impact statements to the chairmen of House committees.

Latest Action: 09/14/2007 - Signed by President.

Bill Text
A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process. 9/14/2007--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on July 31, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 - Title I: Closing the Revolving Door - (Sec. 101) Amends the federal criminal code to extend from one to two years the ban on lobbying contacts by former: (1) very senior executive personnel with any Member, officer, or employee of the entity in which such person served before his or her tenure terminated; and (2) Senators with any Member, officer or employee of either chamber, or employee of any other legislative office.Continues the one-year ban on lobbying contacts by former: (1) Members of the House of Representatives with any Member, officer, or employee of either chamber, or employee of any other legislative office; (2) [...]

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Latest Action: 01/30/2007 - DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 24.

Bill Text
Establishing the House Democracy Assistance Commission for the One Hundred Tenth Congress. 1/30/2007--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Establishes in the House of Representatives a House Democracy Assistance Commission to work with the parliaments of selected countries that have established or are developing democratic parliaments in order to: (1) enable House members, officers, staff, and congressional support agencies to provide advice and consultation to members and staff of the legislatures of partner countries; (2) enable members and staff of legislatures of partner countries to study the operations of the House and its support agencies; and (3) provide recommendations to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) regarding the provision of needed material assistance to such parliaments to improve the efficiency and transparency of their work. Requires the Commission to report annually to the Speaker [...]

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