Legislative Accomplishments PDF Print E-mail

U.S. House of Reps.

U.S. REP. GUS M. BILIRAKIS, FL-09


COMMITTEE & SUBCOMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS:
  • House Committee on Foreign Affairs; Subcommittees: Middle East and South Asia; Europe.
  • House Committee on Homeland Security; Subcommittees: Ranking Member, Management, Investigations and Oversight ; Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism
  • House Committee on Veterans Affairs; Subcommittees: Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS:
  • Republican Whip Team
  • Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee Veterans' Affairs Task Force
  • Congressional Award Board of Directors
CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS LEADERSHIP:
  • Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues
  • Co-Chair of the Congressional Military Veterans Caucus
LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW:
  • Conference Report for H.R. 1 - Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (H. Rept. 110-259).  Two provisions authored by Rep. Bilirakis included in H.R. 1401, which passed the House on 3/27/2007, were adopted in H. Rept. 110-259.  These two provisions, which address public transportation and rail security, signify Rep. Bilirakis's first freshman congressional legislative accomplishments to become law. Signed by The President and became Public Law No: 110-53.
  • H.R. 4986 - National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2008 included key provisions specifically advocated by Rep. Bilirakis, including providing uniformed men and women with a 3.5 percent pay raise in 2008. In April 2007, Rep. Bilirakis introduced H.R. 2027, which would ensure that the minimum 2008 increase would be 3.5 percent. H.R. 4986 also included language expanding the Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) Program to disabled military retirees with fewer than 20 years of service.  In January 2007, Rep. Bilirakis introduced the Combat-Related Special Compensation Act, H.R. 89 which also eliminates the 20 year requirement for the CRSC Program.  Signed by The President and became Public Law No 110-181.
  • H.R. 1580 – The Wounded Warriors Joint Health Care Ombudsman Act -- would ensure that our wounded service members receive the care and services they need by creating a Department of Defense-wide Ombudsman to oversee the answering and assisting of patient and family questions concerning administrative processes and financial and non-military related services available throughout a patient’s recovery.    Rep. Bilirakis offered his bill as amendment to H.R. 1538, Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act.  H.R. 1538 was subsequently incorporated into the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. The conference report for the FY 2008 NDAA creates a wounded warrior resource center which will “provide wounded warriors, their families and their primary caregivers with a single point of assistance with reporting deficiencies in covered military facilities, obtaining health care services, receiving benefits information and any other difficulties encountered while supporting wounded warriors.”  Signed by The President and became Public Law No 110-181.
  • The Conference Report for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations and the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations (H. Rept. 110-424), included language, at the request of Rep. Bilirakis, calling for feasibility study for placing a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Brandon, Fla.  The language was incorporated into the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008. Signed by The President and became Public Law No 110-161.
LEGISLATION/LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE PASSED BY THE HOUSE:        
  • H. Con. Res. 295 – Military Families Resolution expresses appreciation to the families of members of the Armed Forces for their unwavering support while such members answer the call to serve their country; 7/16/2008 - Passed/agreed to in House:  Passed by recorded vote: 415 - 0 (Roll no. 508).        
  • H.AMDT.1028 to H.R.2830 - An amendment numbered 6 printed in House Report 110-604; Amendment requires that the Commandant of the Coast Guard, conduct a program for the mobile biometric identification of suspected individuals, including terrorists, to enhance border security. 4/24/2008 - Passed/agreed to in House: Passed by voice vote.        
  • H.R. 1585 - National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2008 included key provisions specifically advocated by Rep. Bilirakis, including providing uniformed men and women with a 3.5 percent pay raise in 2008. In April 2007, Rep. Bilirakis introduced H.R. 2027, which would ensure that the minimum 2008 increase would be 3.5 percent. H.R. 1585 also included language providing CRSC compensation to medically-retired military personnel with at least 15 years of service and a disability rating of 60 percent or higher. In January 2007, Rep. Bilirakis introduced the Combat-Related Special Compensation Act, H.R. 89; 5/17/2007 - Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 397 - 27 (Roll no. 373).        
  • H.AMDT.79 to H.R.1538 - (Sponsored by Rep. Bilirakis) An amendment numbered 10 printed in House Report 110-78; Amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a Department of Defense-wide Ombudsman Office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense; 3/28/2007 - On agreeing to the Bilirakis amendment passed by voice vote; 3/28/2007 - H.R. 1538 was passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 426 - 0 (Roll no. 208).        
  • H. Res. 405 - (Sponsored by Rep. Bilirakis) Expressing the strong support of the House of Representatives for implementation of the July 8, 2006, United Nations-brokered agreement between President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat relating to the reunification of Cyprus; 10/9/2007 - Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.       
  • Conference Report for H.R. 1 - Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (H. Rept. 110-259).  Two provisions included in H.R. 1401, which passed the House on 3/27/2007, were adopted in H. Rept. 110-259.  The first provision will require those who are coordinating the development and implementation of rail security plans to be American citizens. The second requires the physical testing of rail tank cars used to carry hazardous materials in order to make them more resistant to a terror attack; 7/27/2007 - Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 371 - 40 (Roll no. 757).       
  • H.R. 1401 - Rail and Public Transportation Security Act, included two provisions Rep. Bilirakis successfully inserted during the consideration of the bill by the Homeland Security Committee. The first provision requires American citizenship for those coordinating the development and implementation of rail security plans. The second requires the physical testing of rail tank cars carrying hazardous materials to make them more resistant to a terrorist attack; 3/27/2007 - Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 299 - 124, 1 Present (Roll no. 201).        
  • H. Res. 549 - (Sponsored by Rep. Bilirakis) Recognizing the importance of America's Waterway Watch program, and for other purposes; 10/17/2007 - Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 420 - 0 (Roll no. 976).
  • The Conference Report for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations and the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations (H. Rept. 110-424), included language, at the request of Rep. Bilirakis, calling for feasibility study for placing a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Brandon, Fla.; 11/6/2007 - Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 269 - 142 (Roll no. 1050).
  • S. 3001 - The Fiscal Year 2009 Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) - Incorporates H.R. 5481- (Sponsored by Rep. Bilirakis) guarantees a minimum 3.9 percent pay increase for FY 2009.  Similar provisions have been incorporated into H.R. 5658, the FY 2009 Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act which passed the House on May 22, 2008.  Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 384-23 (Roll No. 365). 9/24/2008 - S. 3001 was Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 392 - 39 (Roll no. 631).
  • H. Res. 1308 - Condemning the broadcasting of incitement to violence against Americans and the United States in media based in the Middle East. ** Adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee as part of Rep. Crowley’s H. Res. 1069 ** 9/9/2008 - Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 409 - 1 (Roll no. 572).
  • S. 2162, The Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act, - Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to spend nearly $13 million for a new 50,000 square-foot multi-specialty outpatient clinic in the city of Brandon, Fla. and a new 100,000 square-foot primary care offsite facility for the James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, Fla. Congressman Bilirakis successfully placed language in the 2007 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 110-161), which called for a feasibility study for a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Brandon, Fla. 9/24/2008 - The House passed the bill unanimously .
  • H.R. 5898, Silver Alert Grant Program Act - On July 15 the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime, terrorism and homeland security conducted a hearing to examine various elder bills including H.R. 5898, the Silver Alert Grant Program Act of 2008. H.R. 5898 was incorporated into H.R. 6064 which passed the House Judiciary Committee on July 30, 2008.** 9/17/2008 - The House passed the H.R. 6064 unanimously.

 

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED:        
  • H.R. 89 - Combat-Related Special Compensation Act.        
  • H.R. 303 - Retired Pay Restoration Act.        
  • H.R. 446 - Christopher and Dana Reeve Quality of Life for Persons with Paralysis Act.        
  • H.R. 704 - To amend title 38, United States Code, to reduce from age 57 to age 55 the age after which the remarriage of the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran shall not result in termination of dependency and indemnity compensation otherwise payable to that surviving spouse.        
  • H.R. 722 - Increasing Access to Higher Education Act.        
  • H.R. 843 - Employer tax credit of 50% for compensation paid to employees on active duty.        
  • H.R. 844 - Employer tax credit of 10% for value of service not performed while employees are performing duties as member of Ready Reserve or National Guard.      
  • H.R. 913 - The Hurricane and Tornado Mitigation Investment Act.       
  • H.R. 1197 - The Prisoners of War Benefits Act.     
  • H.R. 1313 - To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Constantino Brumidi for display in the Capitol Visitor Center.     
  • H.R. 1436 - To amend title 10, United States Code, to permit certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation.       
  • H.R. 1580 - To create a Department of Defense-wide Ombudsman Office.      
  • H.R. 1912 - To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to cover hearing aids and auditory rehabilitation services under the Medicare Program.       
  • H.R. 2027 - To provide an additional 0.5 percent increase in the rates of military basic pay for members of the uniformed services above the pay increase proposed by the Department of Defense so as to ensure at least a minimum pay increase of 3.5 percent for members and to further narrow the "pay gap" that exists between the military and private sector pay scales.       
  • H.R. 2319 - TRICARE Mail-Order Pharmacy Pilot Program Act.       
  • H.R. 2490 - To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a pilot program for the mobile biometric identification in the maritime environment of aliens unlawfully attempting to enter the United States       
  • H.R. 2704 - Gulf Coast All-Hazard Readiness Act of 2007.        
  • H.R. 3653 - Iran Human Rights Act of 2007.       
  • H.R. 4577 - Student Visa Security Improvement Act .        
  • H.R. 6181 - American Heroes' Homeownership Assistance Act.       
  • H.R. 5898 - Silver Alert Grant Program Act.        
  • H. Res. 405 - Expressing the strong support of the House of Representatives for implementation of the July 8, 2006, United Nations-brokered agreement between President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat relating to the reunification of Cyprus.       
  • H. Res. 549 - Recognizing the importance of America's Waterway Watch program, and for other purposes (Passed the House; 10/17/2007).       
  • H. Res. 627 - Supporting the removal of Turkish occupation troops from the Republic of Cyprus.        
  • H. Res. 638 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United Nations should forthwith take the procedural actions necessary to amend Article 23 of the Charter of the United Nations to establish India as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.       
  • H. Res. 705 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Chinese Communist Party should be condemned for engaging in coercive abortion practices, and for other purposes.       
  • H. Con. Res. 295 – Military Families Resolution expresses appreciation to the families of members of the Armed Forces for their unwavering support while such members answer the call to serve their country. 
  • H. Res. 1308 - Condemning the broadcasting of incitement to violence against Americans and the United States in media based in the Middle East.      
  • H.AMDT.79 to H.R.1538 - An amendment numbered 10 printed in House Report 110-78; Amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a Department of Defense-wide Ombudsman Office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.       
  • H.AMDT.1028 to H.R.2830 - An amendment numbered 6 printed in House Report 110-604; Amendment requires that the Commandant of the Coast Guard, conduct a program for the mobile biometric identification of suspected individuals, including terrorists, to enhance border security.
 
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