Veterans receive compensation for treatment at non-VA facilities by Lechuan Zhou, May 2, 2008 (3:33am)
Small business benefits extended to disabled veterans by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 30, 2008 (4:24am)
Insurance regulation expanded by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 18, 2008 (1:59am)
This bill would subject the insurance industry to anti-trust regulatory authority of the Federal Trade Commission. The insurance industry opposes this bill because it claims that the law would place undue burden on insurance companies.
Extending Medicare coverage to cancer treatment by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 17, 2008 (5:22am)
Healthcare loophole closed for motorcylists by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 17, 2008 (4:52am)
This bill fixes a technical loophole in which employers can deny workers health care benefits if the workers are injured while doing recreational riding activity, such as motorcycling, horse-riding, etc. This bill has received support from hobbyist groups like motorcycle clubs and horse-riders groups.
Bill aims to reduce need for abortion by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 17, 2008 (4:09am)
Definition of law enforcement officer expanded by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 16, 2008 (5:37am)
Expanded access to supercomputing by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 16, 2008 (5:10am)
Bill streamlines state insurance regulation by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 15, 2008 (4:48am)
This bill streamlines state insurance regulation by stipulating that the state where the policyholder resides should be the state that is in charge of regulation. Supporters, such as insurance companies and brokers, applaud the bill for its efficiency.
Bill gives away surplus computers by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 11, 2008 (4:37am)
Investing in health-care quality improvement programs by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 11, 2008 (4:07am)
Bill ensures full funding for veteran healthcare by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 11, 2008 (3:36am)
Funding for Alzheimer's treatment and care approved by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 10, 2008 (1:00am)
Increased consumer protection against vehicle fraud by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 10, 2008 (12:13am)
This bill requires insurers and self-insurers to fully disclose the fair market-value of used vehicles, especially vehicles that have been totaled and rebuilt. Supporters claim that this bill enhances the protection for consumers against fraud.
Bill seeks to close gap on cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention for women by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 4, 2008 (11:07pm)
This bill tries to close the gap on the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, which, up until now, have been traditionally viewed as a “male” problem. Supporters, such as cardiologists and women’s groups, applaud the bill for its effort to close this gap and raise awareness.
Bill creates federal management training standards by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 4, 2008 (6:49am)
Major legislation for childhood cancer research passed by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 3, 2008 (7:23am)
Bush executive order overturned by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 3, 2008 (6:49am)
Freedom of Information Act updated by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 3, 2008 (12:08am)
This Senate bill would update the Freedom of Information Act, a first in ten years. This bill has received support from civil liberties groups and journalists for requiring greater compliance with FOIA requests and making documents more accessible to the public.
More money to train health workers in Sub-Sahara Africa by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 2, 2008 (4:30am)
Congress reauthorizes traumatic brain injury program by Lechuan Zhou, Apr 2, 2008 (3:47am)
The Senate version of this reauthorization bill received broad-based support from a variety of organizations, which not only included health advocacy groups but also veterans’ groups, as traumatic brain injuries are becoming increasingly common among veterans returning from active duty.
National astebost ban moves forward in Senate by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 28, 2008 (12:43am)
This Senate bill would ban the use of asbestos on a national basis, something which has been attempted in the past but has never been signed into public law. Supporters of the bill, such as health policy advocates and environmental groups, argue that the bill would reduce the risk of asbestos-related diseases. Other groups, such as manufacturers and businesses who use asbestos in their services, supported the bill on the basis that the language of the bill was specific enough to not harm their interests.
Caller ID Spoofing criminalized by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 27, 2008 (11:20pm)
Senator Ted Stevens introduced this bill to address the growing problem of caller ID spoofing. This bill would criminalize the practice, provided that it is done with intent to harm or defraud. Supporters argue that this is a right step toward protecting consumers, but opponents, such as direct marketing companies, argue that the bill imposes an unreasonable burden on their ability to do business.
Bill to create more jobs for caption writers by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 27, 2008 (10:26pm)
Trauma care system modernized by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 27, 2008 (10:05pm)
Modernizing the Red Cross by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 27, 2008 (12:44am)
Congress establishes civilian corps by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 27, 2008 (12:11am)
This bill would establish a civilian corps that would be sent into countries in need of rebuilding after wars and other disasters. Supporters argue that this civilian corps would increase America’s peaceful rebuilding capacities.
Congress authorizes research on environmental factors of breast cancer by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 26, 2008 (11:42pm)
Senate tries to establish comprehensive suicide prevention program for veterans by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 26, 2008 (11:08pm)
Harry Reid backs tribe for water right claims settlement by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 26, 2008 (10:11pm)
Long-distance mental healthcare for Native American youths by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 21, 2008 (2:20am)
Compromised Reached on African AIDS assistance program by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 21, 2008 (1:29am)
The Senate reauthorization bill for President Bush’s African AIDS assistance program reached a compromise by dropping the requirement that funds can only be used for abstinence-only programs, but retaining the requirement that only organizations with an explicit anti-prostitution policy can receive funding.
More telework for federal employees by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 19, 2008 (7:28pm)
Congress funds senior fall prevent programs by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 19, 2008 (7:15pm)
Stricter disclosure rules for federal contractors by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 19, 2008 (6:38pm)
This bill requires any contractors seeking to do business with the federal government to disclose past any legal action that the federal government has initiated against them. Supporters claim that greater disclosure is needed in order for the government to better vet contractors.
Fair retirement annuities for retiring federal employees by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 19, 2008 (6:04pm)
Congress reauthorizes traumatic brain injury program by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 19, 2008 (12:09am)
Women's health bill passes committee by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 18, 2008 (11:17pm)
Congress reauthorizes children's hearing loss programs by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 17, 2008 (6:32pm)
This bill reauthorizes the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act, giving grants to statewide programs that screen infants for hearing loss before they leave the hospital. Supporters argue that reauthorization is needed in order to achieve early prevention and assistance for children born with hearing loss.
Congress enhances whistleblower protection by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 14, 2008 (2:22am)
Congress modifies federal rules of evidence by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 14, 2008 (1:56am)
Congress reauthorizes mapping program by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 14, 2008 (1:14am)
Congress weary of federal data-mining practices by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 13, 2008 (1:32am)
House reauthorizes President Bush's AIDS program by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 12, 2008 (12:17am)
This bill would reauthorize President Bush’s AIDS prevention/treatment program for developing countries for an additional $50 billion over five years. For the most part, this bill received bipartisan support, although some groups are against language in the bill that requires recipient organizations to have explicitly anti-prostitution policies. Others have opposed the language, recently removed from the legislation, that would have required countries to use one-third of prevention funds in teaching abstinence. The current, compromise bill, requires only only a report to Congress if abstinence and fidelity programs made up less than 50 percent of prevention spending in any given country.
Senate reauthorizes anti-drug program funding by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 10, 2008 (8:15pm)
This bill would reauthorize the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program for another five years at about $200 million a year. Police officer associations and local government organizations applaud the bill for funding anti-drug efforts in America’s communities.
Congress tries to help small businesses by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 6, 2008 (11:58pm)
This bill attempts to reform the current federal contracting policies for small business. Supporters claim that the bill closes some loopholes in existing contracting policy, such as the fact that, often times, large multi-national corporations could represent themselves as a small business. Supporters hope that this bill will benefit the real small businesses.
Congress renews national flood insurance programs by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 6, 2008 (11:26pm)
This bill, if passed, will authorize the National Flood Insurance Program for another five years after September 30th, 2008. Supporters urge Congress to re-authorize the program because the flood maps produced by the program form the basis of flood insurance coverage. Supporters also argue that Congress must adequately fund the program, especially after Hurricane Katrina.
EPA to continue retrofitting diesel engines by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 6, 2008 (12:55am)
This bill would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to continue working on projects that retrofit diesel engines to reduce greenhouse gases emissions. Prior to the passage of the bill, the EPA were not allowed to accept retrofitting projects due to a legal technicality, which this bill removes.
Congress extends trade with Colombia and Panama by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 6, 2008 (12:20am)
This bill extends the Andean Trade Preference Act, a law that currently governs trading relationships between America and the Andean nations like Colombia and Panama. This extension was granted in order for Congress to work out a pending free trade agreement with these countries.
Funding for "green" highways by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 5, 2008 (11:45pm)
Bill establishes a civilian response corps by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 5, 2008 (11:22pm)
This bill establishes standby groups of civilian specialists, such as engineers, financial analysts, etc., to be quickly deployed to states at high risk of collapse or have recently emerged from conflict. The bill aims to strengthen America’s non-military nation-building efforts.
Congress forces EPA to decide California's fuel efficiency waiver by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 5, 2008 (10:54pm)
Bill exempts certain federal employees from Selective Service requirements to keep their jobs by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 5, 2008 (4:32pm)
Supporters of this bill hope that it will enable many Federal Employees, who were unaware or unable to register for the Selective Service before turning 26, to keep their jobs in the federal government. However, some have argued that the exemption will not make any difference and that the rule should be abolished altogether.
Bill to make it easier for veterns to obtain better treatment for traumatic brain injuries at non-VA hospitals by Lechuan Zhou, Mar 5, 2008 (4:28pm)
Proponents of the bill point to the seriousness of traumatic brain injuries and the lack of proper treatment facilities in VA hospitals. The bill would allow veterans with such injuries to transfer to non-VA hospitals to get better treatment.
Bill restricts access to social-networking sites for children in school by Lechuan Zhou, May 2, 2008 (4:15am)
This bill requires schools receiving federal funding to restrict children’s access to social-networking sites and chat rooms in order to protect them from online predators.