Significant Bills Introduced
Below is a list of bills which explains Representative Maloney's diverse interests as well as the concerns of her constituents.
Census Oversight Efficiency and Management Reform Act
(H.R. 4945 in the 111th Congress) Legislation that would ensure that the Census Bureau is able to focus on the task at hand regardless of political issues raised by both Democratic and Republican administrations by increasing the independence of the Census Bureau Director and by increasing transparency in the budget request process. Senators Carper and Coburn have introduced the companion bill in the Senate (S. 3167), which was recently marked up in full committee and is headed to the Senate floor [Introduced March 25, 2010].
Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act
(H.R. 4114 in the 111th Congress) The lead sponsor of the Debbie Smith Act, hailed as "the most important antirape legislation in history," Rep. Maloney was instrumental in passing the law in 2004 that provides funding to reduce the backlog of DNA evidence in police storage facilities and crime labs. The Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act, HR 4114, addresses the continuing rape kit backlog and several other problems that work to deny justice to victims of sexual assault—including the denial of free rape kits to survivors of sexual assault, and the shortage of trained health professionals capable of administering rape kit exams. By creating incentives for jurisdictions to eliminate their rape kit backlogs, process their incoming rape kits in a timely manner, and publicly report their backlog numbers, this legislation would go a long way to ensuring that the purpose and intent of the Debbie Smith Act be fully realized [Introduced November 19, 2009].
Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act
(H.R. 946, 110th Congress) The bill would require account holders to optin to a bank's overdraft protection program, rather than allow banks to automatically enroll them without notification. The bill also would require banks to warn customers that a pending automatic teller machine (ATM) transaction may trigger an overdraft loan fee and to allow the customer to cancel the transaction after receiving the warning. The legislation would prohibit banks from "manipulating" the order in which checks and other debits are posted if it causes more overdrafts and maximizes fees.
Access to Birth Control Act
(H.R. 2596, 110th Congress) This legislation will protect an individual's access to legal birth control. It will require pharmacies to fill a valid prescription for birth control in a timely manner, and to provide overthecounter emergency contraception. This legislation will stop pharmacists from infringing on the rights of individuals in this country by making pharmacy refusals illegal. [Introduced on June 6, 2007].
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act
(H.R. 1975, 110th Congress) Rep. Maloney has reintroduced legislation, along with Rep. Christopher Shays (RCT), that would designate more than 18 million acres of new wilderness areas based on ecosystems, watersheds and science, not arbitrary political boundaries [Introduced April 20, 2007].
UNFPA
(H.R. 1196, 108th Congress) As one of Congress' leading advocates for reproductive health care, Rep. Maloney succeeded in increasing funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the FY02 Foreign Operations Appropriation to $34 million. This is a $12.5 million increase from the previous year. Congresswoman Maloney worked with her colleagues to ensure its inclusion. Unfortunately, while the House and Senate overwhelmingly adopted the FY02 Foreign Operations Appropriations Conference Report, which contained $34 million for this important UNFPA, the President is currently withholding these monies until further notice. Regardless, H.R. 1196 has been introduced in the 108th Congress to appropriate $80 million for FY04 and $84 million for FY08. Clearly, the obligation of these funds is critically important to this program [Introduced March 11, 2002].
Family and Medical Leave
(H.R. 1430 and H.R. 956 in the 108th) (H.R.2104, 106th Congress, H.R. 2287, 107th Congress) To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parentinlaw, adult child, sibling, or grandparent if the domestic partner, parentinlaw, adult child, sibling, or grandparent has a serious health condition (H.R. 2103, 106th Congress, H.R. 2784, 107th Congress) To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children's and grandchildren's educational and extracurricular activities and to clarify that leave may be taken for routine medical needs and to assist elderly relatives, and for other purposes.
The True American Heroes Act
(H.R.5138, 107th Congress, H.R. 1057, 109th Congress) Congresswoman Maloney was the lead Democratic cosponsor on legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the emergency responders who perished in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93. It also instructs the Treasury Department to mint coins in commemoration of the Spirit of America, recognizing the tragic events of September 11, 2001. H.R. 5138 passed the House on July 22, 2002. H.R. 1057 was introduced in the 109th Congress and reported out of the Financial Services Committee by voice vote on March 16th, 2005.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing Security Printing Amendments Act of 2002
(H.R. 2509, 107th Congress) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to produce currency, postage stamps, and other security documents for foreign governments (subject to a determination by the Secretary of State that such production is consistent with U.S. foreign policy) on a reimbursable basis. Perhaps most importantly, passage of this bill will allow the BEP to share its anticounterfeiting expertise with the countries whose currency it will produce. This was enacted as Section 2121 of H.R. 10 in the 108th Congress.
Community Protection and Response Act of 2002
(H.R. 5164, 107th Congress) Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Act) to include a terrorist attack, dispersion of radioactive or other contaminants, dispersion of hazardous substances, or other catastrophic event as a "major disaster" eligible for relief under the Act. Includes as a "private nonprofit facility" for purposes of damages coverage in a major disaster private forprofit telecommunications, phone services, and utilities when losses occur during a homeland security event and are not covered by insurance [Introduced July 18, 2002.]
Kiddie Mac
(H.R. 5291 in the 107th; H.R. 1112 in the 106th Congress, H.R.3637, 105th Congress) A bill to insure mortgages for the acquisition, construction, or substantial rehabilitation of child care and development facilities.
Debt Collection Wage Information Act of 1997
(H.R.2063, 105th Congress) A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make available to the Secretary of the Treasury information from the National Directory of New Hires for use in collecting delinquent debt owed to the Federal Government, and for other purposes [Hearing held on March 2, 1998].
Federal Benefit Verification and Integrity Act
(H.R.2347, 105th Congress) A bill to ensure the accuracy of information regarding the eligibility of applicants for benefits under Federal benefit programs [Hearing held on March 2, 1998].
Child Care Tax Credit
(H.R.1706, 105th Congress) A bill to provide a tax credit for employers who provide child care assistance for dependents of their employees [Passed Senate in 1997; Included in President Clinton's Child Care Proposal].
Efficient Check Clearing Act of 1997
(H.R.2119, 105th Congress) A bill to amend the Federal Reserve Act to expand the opportunity for private enterprise to compete with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in the transportation of paper checks [Hearing held on September 16, 1997].