Latest Action: 10/13/2008 - Became Public Law No: 110-405.

Bill Text
A bill to amend section 5402 of title 39, United States Code, to modify the authority relating to United States Postal Service air transportation contracts, and for other purposes. 9/22/2008--Introduced. Air Carriage of International Mail Act - Authorizes the U.S. Postal Service to contract, through an open procurement process, for air transportation of mail between foreign points only with certificated air carriers (carriers that hold a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued under specified provisions). Allows a contract to be awarded to transport mail between any foreign points the Secretary of Transportation has authorized the carrier to serve either directly or through a code-share relationship. Provides for exceptions for emergency or unanticipated conditions. Removes provisions requiring that the Secretary of Transportation set prices to be paid by the Postal Service for the transportation of mail by aircraft in foreign air transportation. [...]

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Latest Action: 07/14/2008 - Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Durbin. With written report No. 110-417.

Bill Text
An original bill making appropriations for financial services and general government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. 7/14/2008--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.) Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2009 - Title I: Department of the Treasury - Department of the Treasury Appropriations Act, 2009 - Makes appropriations for FY2009 to the Department of the Treasury for: (1) departmental offices; (2) department-wide systems and capital investments programs; (3) the Office of Inspector General; (4) the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; (5) the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network; (6) the Financial Management Service; (7) the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau; (8) the U.S. Mint for the U.S.[...]

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Latest Action: 06/27/2008 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 855.

Bill Text
A bill to designate certain land as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, to authorize certain programs and activities in the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. 6/26/2008--Introduced. Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008 - Authorizes specified programs and activities in the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture concerning, among other things, national wilderness preservation, boundary adjustments, national rivers, the national landscape conservation system, national conservation areas, land conveyances and exchanges, watershed management, watershed restoration and enhancement, wildland firefighter safety, forest landscape restoration, national trails, paleontological resources preservation, national parks, studies, national heritage areas, national heritage corridors, and water projects.Makes amendments to various public laws, including the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984,[...]

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Latest Action: 06/26/2008 - Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Bill Text
To prevent the introduction and establishment of nonnative wildlife species that negatively impact the economy, environment, or human or animal species' health, and for other purposes. 6/19/2008--Introduced. Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate regulations establishing a process for assessing the risk of all nonnative wildlife species proposed for importation into the United States, other than those included in a list of approved species issued under this Act. Sets forth factors that must be considered at minimum, including the identity of the organism to the species level, the geographic source, and the likelihood of spread and harm to groups of species or habitats.Provides procedures for issuance and expansion of the approved-for-importation list.Establishes prohibitions on: (1) importation of nonnative species or viable eggs; (2) permit violation; and (3) knowing possession, purchase, sale, barter,[...]

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

Bill Text
A bill to require early voting in Federal elections, to prohibit restrictions on absentee voting in Federal elections, to establish a grant program to promote voting by mail, and for other purposes. 6/6/2008--Introduced. Voting Opportunities and Integrity in the Conduct of Elections Act of 2008 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to: (1) allow individuals to vote in an election before the date of the regularly scheduled election; (2) require the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to issue standards for administration of such voting; and (3) require each state to permit any person otherwise qualified to vote in a federal election to vote in a manner other than in person, and impose no conditions or restrictions on absentee voting other than a reasonable deadline for requesting and returning the ballot.Directs the EAC to establish a Vote by Mail grant program. Requires each federal election voting system to require the use of or produce an individual, [...]

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Latest Action: 10/02/2008 - Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to improve procedures for the collection and delivery of absentee ballots of absent overseas uniformed services voters, and for other purposes. 10/1/2008--Passed Senate amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to direct the Secretary of Defense (the presidential designee) to establish procedures for: (1) collecting marked absentee ballots of military overseas voters in elections for federal office; and (2) delivering such ballots to the appropriate state election officials. Requires the designee to: (1) ensure that such ballots are delivered prior to the time established for the closing of the polls on the date of the election; and (2) carry out delivery requirements through a contract with one or more providers of express mail services, which shall include a mechanism for ballot tracking. Provides a special rule for [...]

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Latest Action: 06/12/2008 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government. H. Rept. 110-711.

Bill Text
To amend title 39, United States Code, to make cigarettes and certain other tobacco products nonmailable, and for other purposes. 6/12/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Amends federal postal law to make cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and roll-your-own-tobacco nonmailable. Requires tobacco products attempted to be mailed to be disposed of as the Postal Service directs. Provides a civil penalty for each mailing violation. Authorizes the Postal Service, on evidence satisfactory to the Postal Service that any person is, for commercial or moneymaking purposes, engaged in the sending of such matter, to: (1) refuse to accept any mailing from that person or his representative unless the person or his representative establishes to the satisfaction of the postmaster that the mailing does not contain such matter; and (2) order the person to cease and desist from mailing such matter. Authorizes civil actions [...]

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Latest Action: 04/15/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit for care packages provided for soldiers in combat zones.

4/15/2008--Introduced.

Homefront Heroes Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for up to $500 of amounts paid to provide care packages to members of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone.

Latest Action: 06/03/2008 - Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 758.

Bill Text
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for the protection of child custody arrangements for parents who are members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation, and for other purposes. 5/22/2008--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 - Division A: Department of Defense Authorizations - Title I: Procurement - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force for aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement. (Sec.[...]

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Latest Action: 04/14/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for care packages provided for soldiers in combat zones.

4/14/2008--Introduced.

Homefront Heroes Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers who do not otherwise itemize a deduction from gross income of up to $500 for amounts paid to provide care packages for members of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone.

Latest Action: 06/05/2008 - Mr. Spratt brought up conference report H. Rept. 110-659 for consideration under the provisions of H. Res. 1214.

Bill Text
An original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2009 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2008 and 2010 through 2013. 5/20/2008--Conference report filed in House.    (There are 4 other summaries) Sets forth the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2009, including the appropriate budgetary levels for FY2008 and FY2010-FY2013. Title I: Recommended Levels and Amounts - (Sec. 101) Lists recommended budgetary levels and amounts, for FY2008-FY2013, with respect to: (1) federal revenues; (2) new budget authority; (3) budget outlays; (4) deficits (on-budget); (5) debt subject to limit; and (6) debt held by the public. (Sec. 102) Lists the appropriate levels of new budget authority, outlays, and administrative expenses for Social Security, U.S. Postal Service discretionary administrative expenses, and specified major functional [...]

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Latest Action: 04/10/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.

Bill Text
To provide for the continued availability of automated stamp vending machines at facilities of the United States Postal Service serving underserved communities, and for other purposes.

3/6/2008--Introduced.

Postal Service Access Assurance Act of 2008 - Requires the U.S. Postal Service to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, automated stamp vending machines are provided at all facilities which are owned by or under the control of the Postal Service and provide retail services to the public.

Exempts automated stamp vending machines in such locations from requirements that business operations conducted by the Postal Service and certain other entities be fully capable of accepting $1 coins.

Latest Action: 02/29/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Bill Text
Supporting the Adopt-a-Platoon program, which encourages support to deployed soldiers through letters, care packages, pen pal campaigns, and monetary donations.

2/6/2008--Introduced.

Honors the contributions of the Adopt-a-Platoon Soldier Support Effort for supporting deployed U.S. service members in all branches of the military.

Latest Action: 01/16/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.

Bill Text
To provide for the protection and the integrity of the United States mail.

11/15/2007--Introduced.

Mail Network Protection Act of 2007 - Requires the U.S. Postal Service to bargain with unions representing career Postal Service employees before entering into a contract for mail processing, mail handling, or surface transportation of mail if the contract, in a 12 month period, would involve work that would otherwise be performed by those employees and either: (1) involve more than a specified amount of work time; or (2) cost over $5 million.

Latest Action: 11/15/2007 - Referred to the Committee on House Administration, 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 jurisdi

Bill Text
To amend the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to prohibit States from refusing to accept balloting materials solely because the materials are generated through the use of a computer program, are not printed on a specific type of paper, or do not otherwise meet similar extraneous requirements which are not clearly necessary to prevent fraud in the conduct of elections, and for other purposes. 11/15/2007--Introduced. Overseas Voting Practical Amendments Act of 2007 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to rename the official post card form containing both an absentee voter registration application and an absentee ballot application the Federal Voter Registration and Ballot Application. Prohibits states from refusing to accept balloting materials on any of specified grounds, including that the materials are not printed on a post card, do not include certain information, are not notarized or witnessed by an authorized [...]

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Latest Action: 10/02/2008 - Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1115.

Bill Text
To prevent tobacco smuggling, to ensure the collection of all tobacco taxes, and for other purposes. 9/10/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act of 2008 or the PACT Act - Amends the Jenkins Act to revise provisions governing the collection of taxes on, and trafficking in, cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. (Sec. 2) Revises the definition of "cigarette" to include roll-your-own tobacco and to exclude cigars. Defines "delivery sale" to mean any sale of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to a consumer ordered by telephone, the mails, or the Internet or other online service . Redefines "person" to include state, local, and Indian tribal governments. Redefines "use" to include the consumption, storage, handling, or disposal of smokeless tobacco, in addition to cigarettes.Applies state tobacco tax reporting requirements to: (1) the sale or advertising [...]

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