Co-Sponsored Legislation
S.2041
To approve the Keystone XL pipeline project and provide for environmental protection and government oversight.
Jan 30 2012
Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012
To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to provide religious conscience protections for individuals and organizations.
S.J.RES.34
Relating to the disapproval of the President's exercise of authority to increase the debt limit, as submitted under section 3101A of title 31, United States Code, on January 12, 2012.
S. 2007
To amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act to extend the third-country fabric rule, to add South Sudan to the list of countries eligible for designation under that Act, and for other purposes
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
To repeal the authority to provide certain loans to the International Monetary Fund, to prohibit loans to enable the Fund to provide financing for European financial stability, and to oppose the provision of such financing, and for other purposes.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
To provide taxpayers with an annual report disclosing the cost of, performance by, and areas for improvements for Government programs, and for other purposes.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
To direct the Securities and Exchange Commission to eliminate the prohibition against general solicitation as a requirement for a certain exemption under Regulation D.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
To deter terrorism, provide justice for victims, and for other purposes.
Dec 01 2011
A bill to require the Secretary of State to act on a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline
S.1932
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
A bill to require the Secretary of State to act on a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Nov 16 2011
A bill to ensure that Federal Register notices submitted to the Bureau of Land Management are reviewed in a timely manner.
S.1844
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
A bill to ensure that Federal Register notices submitted to the Bureau of Land Management are reviewed in a timely manner.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
To amend the National Labor Relations Act to provide for appropriate designation of collective bargaining units.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
To provide incentives for the development of qualified infectious disease products.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
Jobs Through Growth Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that S.J. Res. 10 (a balanced budget amendment) should be passed and submitted to the states for ratification within 90 days after the enactment of this Act.Amends the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to transmit, within 45 calendar days after enactment of the funding in question, a message to Congress with specified information requesting any rescission the President proposes under the procedures in this Act. Prescribes requirements for timing and packaging of rescission requests.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act - Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) allow licensed firearms importers, manufacturers, dealers, or collectors (licensees) to sell or deliver any firearm (currently, rifles or shotguns) to a resident of a state other than the state in which the licensee is located or temporarily located if the licensee meets with the purchaser to complete the sale or delivery and the transaction complies with the laws of the state in which the transfer is conducted and the purchaser's state of residence; and (2) eliminate the requirement that a licensee must conduct business at a gun show only in the state that is specified on the licensee's license.Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit the sale or other disposition of a firearm or ammunition: (1) between licensed firearms dealers at any location in any state; or (2) by a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer to an unlicensed person at a temporary location in any state.
Amends definitions for federal firearms provisions to: (1) revise the definition of a "member of the Armed Forces on active duty" to include a resident of the state in which the member maintains legal residence or in which the member maintains a place of abode from which he or she commutes each day to the permanent duty station, and (2) provide that an officer or employee of the United States (other than a member of the Armed Forces) stationed outside the United States for a period exceeding one year is a resident of the state in which the member maintains legal residence.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Northern Arizona Mining Continuity Act of 2011'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) over the past 20 years, a form of low-impact, safe, and environmentally responsible underground `breccia pipe' uranium mining has been conducted in northern Arizona, particularly in an area located beyond the northern boundaries of the Grand Canyon National Park known as the `Arizona Strip';
(2) according to United States Geological Survey estimates, the Arizona Strip--
(A) has the potential of becoming the second most important uranium-producing region in the United States; and
(B) contains approximately 375,000,000 pounds of high-grade uranium ore with the energy equivalent of 13,000,000,000 barrels of oil, which is approximately the quantity of recoverable oil originally found in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska;
(3) in 1984, during the last uranium boom, Congress enacted the Arizona Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 98-406), which--
(A) is recognized as a historic compromise between environmental and uranium mining interests; and
(B) affirmed the continued multiple use management of Federal land on the Arizona Strip that was not designated as wilderness by that Act;
(4) continued development of resources on the Arizona Strip would significantly boost economic growth in the area, provide for permanent well-paying jobs, and serve as a source of revenue to the Federal Government and State and local governments;
(5) on July 21, 2009, the Department of the Interior published a notice entitled `Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public Meeting; Arizona' (74 Fed. Reg. 35887), which--
(A) proposed the withdrawal of approximately 1,000,000 acres of Federal locatable minerals in northern Arizona from the location of new mining claims over concerns that the uranium mining could impact the Grand Canyon watershed; and
(B) made no mention of the Arizona Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 98-406) or the resource management plans that have governed mineral resource development on the Arizona Strip; and
(6) the February 2011 Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed withdrawal determined there is no conclusive evidence from well and spring sampling data that modern-day breccia pipe uranium mining operations in the northern portion of the Grand Canyon region has impacted the chemical quality of groundwater in the regional-aquifer.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF PROPOSED MINING WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.
(a) In General- Except by express authorization by Congress referencing this section and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior shall not extend, renew, or issue a notice of segregation or withdrawal of the public land and National Forest System land (including a portion of the land) described in Public Land Order 7773 (76 Fed. Reg. 37826 (June 28, 2011)).
(b) Effect of Notice- Any notice of segregation or withdrawal of the land described in subsection (a) shall have no legal effect.
This Act may be cited as the `Northern Arizona Mining Continuity Act of 2011'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) over the past 20 years, a form of low-impact, safe, and environmentally responsible underground `breccia pipe' uranium mining has been conducted in northern Arizona, particularly in an area located beyond the northern boundaries of the Grand Canyon National Park known as the `Arizona Strip';
(2) according to United States Geological Survey estimates, the Arizona Strip--
(A) has the potential of becoming the second most important uranium-producing region in the United States; and
(B) contains approximately 375,000,000 pounds of high-grade uranium ore with the energy equivalent of 13,000,000,000 barrels of oil, which is approximately the quantity of recoverable oil originally found in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska;
(3) in 1984, during the last uranium boom, Congress enacted the Arizona Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 98-406), which--
(A) is recognized as a historic compromise between environmental and uranium mining interests; and
(B) affirmed the continued multiple use management of Federal land on the Arizona Strip that was not designated as wilderness by that Act;
(4) continued development of resources on the Arizona Strip would significantly boost economic growth in the area, provide for permanent well-paying jobs, and serve as a source of revenue to the Federal Government and State and local governments;
(5) on July 21, 2009, the Department of the Interior published a notice entitled `Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public Meeting; Arizona' (74 Fed. Reg. 35887), which--
(A) proposed the withdrawal of approximately 1,000,000 acres of Federal locatable minerals in northern Arizona from the location of new mining claims over concerns that the uranium mining could impact the Grand Canyon watershed; and
(B) made no mention of the Arizona Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 98-406) or the resource management plans that have governed mineral resource development on the Arizona Strip; and
(6) the February 2011 Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed withdrawal determined there is no conclusive evidence from well and spring sampling data that modern-day breccia pipe uranium mining operations in the northern portion of the Grand Canyon region has impacted the chemical quality of groundwater in the regional-aquifer.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF PROPOSED MINING WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.
(a) In General- Except by express authorization by Congress referencing this section and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior shall not extend, renew, or issue a notice of segregation or withdrawal of the public land and National Forest System land (including a portion of the land) described in Public Land Order 7773 (76 Fed. Reg. 37826 (June 28, 2011)).
(b) Effect of Notice- Any notice of segregation or withdrawal of the land described in subsection (a) shall have no legal effect.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers to donate an amount (not less than $1), in addition to any tax owed, which shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury and transferred to an account used to reduce the public debt. Requires such donation to be designated on a taxpayer's income tax return at the time such return is filed.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act - Title I: Approval of, and General Provisions Relating to, the Agreement - (Sec. 101) Approves the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (the Agreement) entered into on June 28, 2007, with the government of Panama, and the statement of administrative action proposed to implement the Agreement, both submitted to Congress on October 3, 2011. Allows for the Agreement's entry into force upon certain conditions being met on or after January 1, 2012.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act - Title I: Approval of, and General Provisions Relating to, the Agreement - (Sec. 101) Approves the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (the Agreement) entered into on June 30, 2007, with the government of Korea, and the statement of administrative action proposed to implement the Agreement, both submitted to Congress on October 3, 2011. Allows for the Agreement's entry into force upon certain conditions being met on or after January 1, 2012.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act - Title I: Approval of, and General Provisions Relating to, the Agreement - (Sec. 101) Approves the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (the Agreement) entered into on November 22, 2006, with the government of Colombia, as amended by both governments on June 28, 2007, and the statement of administrative action proposed to implement the Agreement, both submitted to Congress on October 3, 2011. Allows for the Agreement's entry into force upon certain conditions being met on or after January 1, 2012.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
Greater Research Opportunities with Tax Help Act or GROWTH Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase from 14% to 20% the rate of the tax credit for increasing research activities, (2) modify rules for calculating such credit, and (3) make such credit permanent.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act - Amends title IV part B (Child and Family Services) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to extend through FY2016 the authorization of appropriations for the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program.Revises requirements for child visitations by caseworkers.
Extends through FY2016: (1) the Safe and Stable Families Program, and (2) specified reservations of funds for monthly caseworker visits and regional partnership grants.
Revises requirements for grants to assist children affected by methamphetamine or other substance abuse to: (1) remove the specification of methamphetamine, and (2) apply the grant program generally to children affected by substance abuse. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to renew a five-year grant for up to an additional two years.
Revises requirements for the court improvement program to require grants to the highest state courts to serve the purpose of increasing and improving engagement of the entire family in court processes relating to child welfare, family preservation, family reunification, and adoption. Requires such a court to submit one application, rather than separate applications, for more than one grant.
Specifies mandatory allocations of funds for such grants.
Directs the Secretary, in order to improve data matching, to designate nonproprietary and interoperable standard data elements for any category of information required to be reported.
Requires state case review systems to assure that each child in foster care under state responsibility who has attained age 16 receives gratis: (1) a copy of any consumer report pertaining to the child each year until the child is discharged from care, and (2) assistance in interpreting and resolving any inaccuracies in the report.
Renews through FY2014 the authority of the Secretary to authorize states to conduct child welfare program demonstration projects likely to promote the objectives of part B or SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance).
Repeals the requirement for state project applications to consider certain types of proposals. Replaces such requirement with specified conditions for state eligibility to conduct a new demonstration project.
Authorizes a state to elect to establish a program to: (1) permit part E foster care maintenance payments to a long-term therapeutic family treatment center on behalf of a child residing in the center, or (2) identify and address domestic violence that endangers children and results in the placement of children in foster care.
Defines a long-term therapeutic family treatment center as a state-licensed or -certified program that: (1) enables parents and their children to live together in a safe environment for at least six months; and (2) provides substance abuse treatment services, children's early intervention services, family counseling, medical care,and related services.
Sets forth child welfare improvement policies.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G Hatch
Respect for Rights of Conscience Act of 2011 - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to permit a health plan to decline coverage of specific items and services that are contrary to the religious beliefs of the sponsor, issuer, or other entity offering the plan or the purchaser or beneficiary (in the case of individual coverage) without penalty. Declares that such plans are still considered to: (1) be providing the essential health benefits package or preventive health services, (2) be a qualified health plan, and (3) have fulfilled other requirements under PPACA.Declares that nothing in PPACA shall be construed to authorize a health plan to require a provider to provide, participate in, or refer for a specific item or service contrary to the provider's religious beliefs or moral convictions. Prohibits a health plan from being considered to have failed to provide timely or other access to items or services or to fulfill any other requirement under PPACA because it has respected the rights of conscience of such a provider.
Prohibits an American Health Benefit Exchange (a state health insurance exchange) or other official or entity acting in a governmental capacity in the course of implementing PPACA from discriminating against a health plan, plan sponsor, health care provider, or other person because of an unwillingness to provide coverage of, participate in, or refer for, specific items or services.
Creates a private cause of action for the protection of individual rights created under this Act. Authorizes any person or entity to assert a violation of this Act as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding.
Designates the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to receive and investigate complaints of discrimination based on this Act.
Makes this Act effective as if it were included in PPACA.
Aug 02 2011
A bill to prevent the Secretary of the Treasury from expanding United States bank reporting requirements with respect to interest on deposits paid to nonresident aliens
S.1506
Co-sponsored by: Orrin G. Hatch
Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from requiring a payor of interest to file an information return on interest that is not effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States and that is paid to a nonresident alien on a deposit maintained at an office within the United States.
Co-sponsored by: Orrin Hatch
International Cybercrime Reporting and Cooperation Act - Directs a presidentially-designated federal agency to report annually to Congress assessing: (1) the extent and nature of foreign cybercrime activities, their impact on the U.S. government, U.S. persons, or U.S. electronic commerce, and the adequacy of the legal, judicial, and law enforcement systems in such countries to combat cybercrime; and (2) multilateral efforts to prevent, investigate, and prosecute cybercrime, including U.S. efforts to encourage such cooperation.Directs the President to give priority for assistance to improve legal, judicial, and enforcement capabilities to countries with low capacities to combat cybercrime.
Directs the President to develop an action plan (with legislative, institutional, or enforcement benchmarks) and an annual compliance assessment for each country determined to be a country of cyber concern: (1) from which there is a pattern of cybercrime incidents against the U.S. government, private U.S. entities, or U.S. persons; and (2) whose government is uncooperative with efforts to combat cybercrime.
Urges the President to take specified trade, assistance, and financing actions against a country that has not complied with the appropriate benchmarks.
Authorizes the President to waive the requirements to develop an action plan or make a determination of cyber concern if in the U.S. national interest.
Directs the Secretary of State to designate a high-level Department of State employee to coordinate anti-cybercrime activities.
Directs the President to: (1) ensure that there is a federal employee with primary responsibility for cybercrime policy in each country or region significant to U.S. anti-cybercrime efforts, and (2) take into consideration a country's anti-cybercrime efforts before finalizing or modifying any trade agreement with such country.
