Latest Action: 07/31/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7947-7949)

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A bill to promote conservation and provide for sensible development in Carson City, Nevada, and for other purposes. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Carson City Vital Community Act of 2008 - Provides for the conveyance of specified Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land or interest in such land (the federal land) in Nevada by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior in exchange for specified non-federal land by Carson City Consolidated Municipality, Nevada. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to reserve a perpetual conservation easement to the Silver Saddle Ranch and Carson River Area.Releases the reversionary interest of BLM in certain of the conveyed federal land. Provides for the conveyance of such land by the City. Makes the non-federal land part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Transfers administrative jurisdiction over certain Forest Service land from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary [...]

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Latest Action: 07/09/2008 - Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Date of scheduled hearing. SD-366. 2:30 p.m.

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A bill to provide for the exchange and conveyance of certain National Forest System land and other land in southeast Arizona, and for other purposes. 6/18/2008--Introduced. Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) accept a conveyance of non-federal land in Gila, Yavapai, Maricopa, Pinal, and Coconino Counties, Arizona, from Resolution Copper Mining, LLC (Resolution Copper); (2) convey to Resolution Copper certain federal land located in Pinal County, Arizona; (3) convey specified land in Pinal County to the town of Superior, Arizona; and (4) appraise lands exchanged or conveyed under this Act.Instructs Resolution Copper to deliver to the Secretary an executed document granting a permanent conservation easement for the easement area (the surface estate of the Apache Leap Conservation Easement Area, Arizona) to an entity that is: (1) a qualified unit of government or Indian tribe; or (2) a land trust or [...]

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Latest Action: 06/18/2008 - Vetoed by President. (text of veto message: CR H5535)

Bill Text
To provide for the continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes. 5/22/2008--Introduced. Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 - Provides for the continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through FY2012.Revises agricultural and related programs, including provisions respecting: (1) commodity programs; (2) conservation; (3) trade; (4) nutrition; (5) credit; (6) rural development; (7) research and related matters; (8) forestry; (9) energy; (10) horticulture and organic agriculture; (11) livestock; (12) crop insurance and disaster assistance; (13) socially disadvantaged and limited resource producers; and (14) miscellaneous programs.Directs the President to establish and maintain an importer declaration program with respect to the importation of softwood lumber and softwood lumber products.Establishes the Bill Emerson National Hunger [...]

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Latest Action: 04/21/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

Bill Text
To authorize the Forest Service to provide financial assistance to States for the acquisition of land to preserve and maintain such land for traditional use by the public, and for other purposes.

4/16/2008--Introduced.

Traditional Use Protection Act of 2008 - Directs the Forest Service to establish a grant program to allow states to acquire land rights in perpetuity in order to preserve and maintain such land for traditional use (hunting, fishing, access to water, motorized recreation, hiking, bird watching, and non-motorized recreational activities) by the public, or to make subgrants to an entity for such purposes.

Requires that land rights be acquired only from a willing seller. Prohibits acquisition through eminent domain.

Latest Action: 11/02/2007 - Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Harkin. With written report No. 110-220. Additional views filed.

Bill Text
An original bill to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes.

11/2/2007--Introduced.

Food and Energy Security Act of 2007 - Revises agricultural and related programs and provisions respecting: (1) producer income; (2) conservation; (3) trade; (4) nutrition; (5) credit; (6) rural development and investment; (7) research and related matters; (8) forestry; (9) energy; (10) livestock marketing; and (11) agricultural security.

Latest Action: 10/25/2007 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 446.

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An original bill to amend the Trade Act of 1974 to establish supplemental agricultural disaster assistance and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax incentives for conservation and alternative energy sources and to provide tax relief for farmers, and for other purposes. 10/25/2007--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.)Heartland, Habitat, Harvest, and Horticulture Act of 2007 - Title I: Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance from the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund - (Sec. 101) Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish a program of supplemental agricultural disaster assistance. Establishes an Agriculture Disaster Relief Trust Fund to provide payments to farmers and ranchers who suffer losses in areas declared as disaster areas by the [...]

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Latest Action: 10/24/2007 - Committee on Finance. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Baucus. With written report No. 110-205.

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An original bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide additional tax incentives to promote habitat conservation and restoration, and for other purposes. 10/24/2007--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.)Habitat and Land Conservation Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax incentives for habitat conservation and restoration. Makes permanent the special rule allowing an enhanced tax deduction for individual and corporate charitable contributions of capital gain real property for conservation purposes. Allows certain landowners whose property contains the habitat of an endangered or threatened species and who enter into a habitat protection agreement a tax credit for costs and property losses relating to habitat protection easements [...]

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Latest Action: 10/04/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

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To establish the Raritan Bay Stewardship Initiative. 10/2/2007--Introduced. Raritan Bay Stewardship Initiative of 2007 - States as the purpose of this Act the establishment of the Raritan Bay Stewardship Initiative to identify, protect, and enhance sites within the Raritan Bay ecosystem with significant ecological, educational, open space, public access, or recreational value through a bi-state network of sites. Establishes the Raritan Bay Stewardship Initiative Region within New York and New Jersey. Establishes the Raritan Bay Stewardship Advisory Committee, which shall: (1) identify 20 initial Raritan Bay stewardship sites; (2) seek to ensure an equal distribution of funds between New York and New Jersey for the initial sites (authorizes site owners to apply to have the sites identified as stewardship sites); (3) identify additional recreation areas and natural areas with ecological value as potential stewardship sites; (4) publish a list of sites that further [...]

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Latest Action: 10/01/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2037)

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To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the limitations on the amount excluded from the gross estate with respect to land subject to a qualified conservation easement.

10/1/2007--Introduced.

American Family Farm and Ranchland Protection Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase to $5 million the limitation on the estate tax exclusion for land subject to a qualified conservation easement and to increase the percentage of the value of such land that is excludable.

Latest Action: 11/14/2007 - Committee Hearings Held.

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To provide for the completion of certain land selections under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and for other purposes. 9/18/2007--Introduced. Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization Act - Authorizes Sealaska Corporation to select and receive conveyance of its remaining Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) land entitlement from federal lands in southeast Alaska from each of the following categories: (1) specified economic development land; (2) specified sites with sacred, cultural, traditional, or historical significance; and (3) specified native enterprise sites with traditional and recreational use value. Requires the Secretary of Interior to complete the conveyance of land to Sealaska within 180 days of selection.Declares that upon the exhaustion of Sealaska's remaining land entitlement under ANCSA and the completion of the conveyances of the land selected, the original southeast Alaska withdrawals shall expire and the lands within the [...]

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Latest Action: 08/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To provide a Federal tax exemption for forest conservation bonds, and for other purposes.

8/4/2007--Introduced.

Community Forestry Conservation Act of 2007 - Provides for the treatment of qualified forest conservation bonds as tax-exempt facility bonds under the Internal Revenue Code. Defines "qualified forest conservation bonds" as bonds issued for certain forestry organizations within 36 months after the enactment of this Act. Requires 95% or more of the net proceeds of such bonds to be used for specified forestry project costs, including the acquisition of forest lands subject to a conservation restriction.

Exempts from income tax income, gains, and other tax incidents generated by certain harvesting activity on forest lands purchased with qualified forest conservation bonds.

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

Bill Text
A bill to provide a Federal tax exemption for forest conservation bonds, and for other purposes.

8/2/2007--Introduced.

Community Forestry Conservation Act of 2007- Provides for the treatment of qualified forest conservation bonds as tax-exempt facility bonds under the Internal Revenue Code. Defines "qualified forest conservation bonds" as bonds issued for certain forestry organizations within 36 months after the enactment of this Act. Requires 95 percent or more of the net proceeds of such bonds to be used for specified forestry project costs, including the acquisition of forest lands subject to a conservation restriction.

Exempts from income tax income, gains, and other tax incidents generated by certain harvesting activity on forest lands purchased with qualified forest conservation bonds.

Latest Action: 11/01/2007 - Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Bill Text
To authorize and direct the exchange and conveyance of certain National Forest land and other land in southeast Arizona. 8/1/2007--Introduced. Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretary) to convey to Resolution Copper Mining, LLC, all and interest of the United States in and to specified federal land in Pinal County, Arizona, in exchange for Resolution Copper conveying to the United States title to: (1) the Secretary to specified non-federal land in Gila, Yavapai, Maricopa, Pinal, and Coconino Counties, Arizona, and (2) the Secretary of the Interior to specified non-federal land in Pinal and Gila Counties, Arizona. Directs the Secretary to convey specified land in Pinal County to the town of Superior, Arizona. Instructs Resolution Copper to deliver to the Secretary an executed document reviewed by, and acceptable to, the Secretary which grants a permanent conservation easement to the easement [...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
Moving the United States toward greater energy independence and security, developing innovative new technologies, reducing carbon emissions, creating green jobs, protecting consumers, increasing clean renewable energy production, and modernizing our energy infrastructure. 7/30/2007--Introduced. New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act - Incorporates various legislative initiatives for energy conservation, independence, and security.Green Jobs Act of 2007 - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Labor to: (1) establish an energy efficiency and renewable energy worker training program; (2) collect and analyze labor market data to track workforce trends resulting from energy-related initiatives under this Act; and (3) award National Energy Training Partnerships Grants to community based nonprofit organizations to carry out training programs that lead to economic self-sufficiency and develop an [...]

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