National Guard Adjustment Period by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (8:59pm)
Children's Healthcare by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (8:33pm)
Aid the Anesthesiologists! by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (8:19pm)
US Canada Relations by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (7:18pm)
Non-Public Psychiatric Hospitals Reimbursed by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (6:59pm)
An important act, H.R. 2050 would encourage non-public hospitals to
stabilize people needing emergency medical attention by providing the hospitals with reimbursement for Medicaid beneficiaries. The current Medicaid program does not provide non-public psychiatric hospitals with Medicaid reimbursement for patients aged 21-64. This legislation would reduce over-crowding of emergency room by providing the hospitals with necessary funds.
Gasoline Sales with Renewable Fuels by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (6:28pm)
Muscogee Nation of Florida by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (6:01pm)
More Child Care by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 6, 2008 (8:43pm)
A great bill, H.R. 2021 works to improve accessibility to child care facilities. It baits employers with additional incentives to open such facilities in the work place and encourages families to use them with an increase of child care credit.
Contact Lens Wearers Protected by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 6, 2008 (5:14pm)
H.R. 2012 would protect contact lens wearers by requiring sellers to provide solid methods of communication to purchasers with questions or concerns. It would also mandate that if a buyer makes an inquiry about a prescription, the seller must obtain affirmative information/confirmation before it will be considered verified. The seller would also not be allowed to overfill a prescription.
Computers in the classroom by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 6, 2008 (4:39pm)
A wonderful bill that would bring technology into the classroom and allow students to gain a first hand knowledge of invaluable computer skills, H.R. 200 needs to be passed. The only obstacle that comes to mind is the cost of purchasing and maintaining the technology.
Agri-biodiesels by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 6, 2008 (6:31am)
Agri-biodiesel is a type of biodiesel procured solely from certain agricultural products such as vegetable oils from corn, soybeans, sunflower seeds, animal fats, and others. This bill would expand the present tax credit that exists for the use of alternative fuels to include these agri-biodiesels.
VISN by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (9:44pm)
VISN or Veterans Integrated Services Network is a system of various VA Medical Centers and outpatient clinics as well a health care system for veterans of the United States. H.R. 1925 seeks to now establish a separate system for the Gulf Coast region of the US.
Leaving the wilderness wild by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (8:45pm)
All the wilderness protection organizations in Utah have stepped up to the plate to pass America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act of 2007. The act would designate some of Utah’s beautiful federally owned red rock canyons as wilderness so as to leave the land undisturbed and spectacular.
Old is not always gold... at least in terms of stem cell policies by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (8:24pm)
One of the most controversial issues of the century is back in the spot light with H.R. 3. To use embryos or not to use embryos, that is the question. The bill passed in the House would allow federal funding for research using stem cells obtained from human embryos that were extras in fertility treatments and were willing donated. This bill changes the original policy installed by President Bush which would only provide funding for research on embryonic stem cells that were created on or before August 9th, 2001. Although the Senate also passed a similar bill expanding government funding for embryonic stem cell research, the President vetoed the legislation on June 20th. One can only hope that a new presidency will call for the removal of such stale policies and bring forth newer, more beneficial ideas to the American people.
Do we really want unhappy air traffic controllers? by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (8:09pm)
A win for the Federal Aviation Administration, H.R. 5449 was merely an attempt by Congress to intervene between the NATCA, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and the FAA when the FAA proposed a new management system that would give it more control of its workers. The argument ran as follows: the FAA insisted on minimizing compensation costs while the controllers demanded that there be enough personnel to maintain safe air traffic. The bill was also opposed by the White House but my vote is with the controllers- they’re the ones that can sink my plane!
Lower Drug Prices for Medicare Participants by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (7:41pm)
H.R. 4 allows the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies for Medicare members. Clearly the bill garnered support from various workers’ unions but was opposed by larger pharmaceutical companies.
And the Indians win! by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (7:27pm)
Facing tremendous opposition from several Indian tribes, H.R. 4893 sought to authorize the National Indian Gaming Commission to regulate Class III gaming and to limit lands eligible for gaming, amongst other provisions. The bill would have prevented tribes from crossing state lines and would not allow tribes that already had lands eligible for gaming from obtaining more land not contiguous to their reservations for casinos. The bill also required tribes to first receive the approval of their local community. Since the bill failed, the law stands as it was before- tribes must negotiate gaming compacts with states but do not need counties’ permission. Ultimately the stringent regulations were not put in place allowing the tribes to celebrate a clear victory.
Happy Hearing! by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (5:22pm)
Democratic Attempts at Futures Markets Transparency by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 31, 2008 (4:18am)
Garnering huge support from the agricultural community, the excellent bipartisan H.R. 6604 attempts to make energy future markets (A futures market is an auction market in which participants buy and sell commodity/future contracts for delivery on a specified future date) more transparent. The legislation is seen as a way to address high energy prices by holding markets accountable and penalizing hedgers. Unfortunately the bill does see plenty of opposition especially from the Republican party. Organizations such as ERISA Industry Committee claim that by limiting the ability to hedge investments congressmen would be risking individuals’ pension funds. However environmentalists such as the Wildlife Action Center support the bill with hopes of preventing offshore drilling.
H.R. 19 by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 30, 2008 (9:40pm)
The right to bear arms against bears! by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 30, 2008 (6:34pm)
Ron Paul’s legislation H.R. 1897 would allow individuals to carry firearms within national parks for self defense. Although the bill has good intentions, the actual outcome will be disastrous to the wildlife that these parks are deemed to preserve. Human beings are prone to overreaction in times of stress and can mistake an animal to be attempting an attack when it truly is not.
The government should attempt to be more innovative and come up with solutions that will protect both the wildlife and the people in these parks rather than jumping to a quick fix that will without doubt be harmful to the animals. One also cannot ignore the risks a stray bullet may cause to the other humans visiting these federal lands. H.R. 1897 does not appear to be well thought out but rather seems to be a knee jerk reaction to the recent animal attacks in National Parks.
National Advocacy Center by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 30, 2008 (6:09am)
H.R. 6083 authorizes funding for the Ernest F.Hollings National Advocacy Center (NAC) in Columbia, South Carolina. The NAC, composed of the National District Attorney’s Association and the U.S. Department of Justice, focuses on training state and local prosecutors to better prosecute emerging crimes.
Contact Your Local Federal Agent Now! by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 30, 2008 (5:37am)
H.R. 6113 amends the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and requires Federal agencies requesting information from the public to include contact information so that an individual can have a specific contact person responsible for the information.
Veterans Disability Compensation Claims go Automatic by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 29, 2008 (2:17pm)
As of right now the veterans’ disability compensation claims processing is a complicated system. Although approximately 70% of initial claims are approved, the challenge is that the approval process takes roughly 7 months. This legislation would require the development of a rules-based expert system to automatically generate a disability rating recommendation.
Help with Housing by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 24, 2008 (7:21pm)
Meant to aid employers and employees alike, H.R. 1850 would provide employers with the incentive of a tax credit for up to 50% of qualified housing expenses paid for the benefit of their employees. The legislation would also authorize grants to be awarded to nonprofit housing organizations or local governments for certain costs pertaining to housing programs.
Catheter Coverage by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 24, 2008 (5:26pm)
Medicare Coverage of Mobility Devices by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 24, 2008 (5:34am)
George D. Wilson by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 23, 2008 (5:52am)
Children's Dental Care by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 22, 2008 (7:49pm)
A great bill that will provide disadvantaged children with access to primary dental care services, the Children’s Dental Health Improvement Act has the support of several dental organizations. It seeks to award grants to states as an incentive to improve dental services to children enrolled in Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and to include dental care as a basic service under SCHIP.
National Security Letters by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (9:08pm)
H.R. 1739 gives Congress more power by requiring that the issuance of a national security letter be approved by a FISA court or another designated US Magistrate Judge. It also demands semiannual reports from the Attorney General on national security letters and other security matters.
Alternative Pay Rates to Disabled Members of the Armed Forces by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (8:06pm)
National Park Preservation by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (6:15pm)
The National Park Centennial Act would provide funds to the National Park System via an income tax contribution- taxpayers would be allowed to contribute $1 or more to a National Park Centennial Fund. The money would help protect natural resources and eliminate the annual operating deficit maintained by the parks.
Maria Manzano by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (5:36am)
Maria Manzano of Syracuse, NY is to receive $20,228.25 due to the wrongful disclosure of the grievance proceedings of 1971 by an employee of the Department of State who placed a complaint against Manzano, a supervisor at the Laboratory Division.
Safer Spas and Safer Pools by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (5:10am)
H.R. 1721 is a ground breaking act that imposes federal safety requirements to prevent suction entrapment deaths in pools and spas. Eligible states may also apply to a grant program that will be established by the legistaion.
Money for ex-POWs by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (2:52am)
Avast! An avalache! by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (1:27am)
The Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2007 will establish an avalanche protection program that will allow for coordinated identification and notification of potential avalanches on federal lands. The bill hopes to reduce the risks of avalanches and continue research to better forecasting skills.
Reversing criteria for reverse mortgages by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 16, 2008 (1:16am)
In order to protect elders from being cheated, S. 2490 calls to amend the National Housing Act of 1937 to change the eligibility criteria for reverse mortgages. Most importantly it barrs lenders from setting the purchase of an annuity with the proceeds of the mortgage as a precondition. The bill will also require government funding of mandatory counseling for both homeowners taking the reverse mortgage as well as those who choose otherwise.
Minidoka National Historic Site by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 9, 2008 (6:34am)
Health Care Professionals for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Regions by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 9, 2008 (5:45am)
Chesapeake Bay Restoration by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 8, 2008 (10:48pm)
Supplemental War Funding by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 8, 2008 (6:28pm)
Due to the president’s exclusion of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars’ funding from the annual defense budget, H.R. 1591 was initiated in March of 2007 by House Democrats. It was the first bill to provide additional funding for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for the rest of the fiscal year. It’s provision of complete combat troop withdrawal from Iraq by September 1st, 2008 garnered it support from anti-war organizations.
American Veterans Congressional Internship Program by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 8, 2008 (5:06am)
The Military's Medical Holdover Patients by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 8, 2008 (4:29am)
Focusing on “medical holdover patients” this legislation defines such patients as a member of the Armed Forces who is in medical hold (treatment, recuperation, therapy) for an injury incurred during active duty. H.R. 1578 establishes the requirement of quarterly medical inspections at military medical facilities amongst other performance standards.
A-PLUS Act by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 8, 2008 (1:33am)
An option-out of sorts, H.R. 1539 provides states with the freedom to utilize federal funds to design and implement their education reforms. Instead of forcing all states to adhere to national standards, the legislation promotes individualized regulations- each state would pick whether they want to choose the A-PLUS option and then pick the programs it will fund. Transparency would remain due to the implementation of state standardized testing.
Interchange Fees and the Credit Card Fair Fee Act by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 7, 2008 (6:55pm)
H.R. 5546, the Credit Card Fair Fee Act, is out to wage a war against nontransparent interchange fees in the Electronic Payment System. Set by credit card associations such as Visa and MasterCard, interchange fees are paid by a merchant’s bank to the customer’s bank whenever the merchant accepts a credit or debit card. The merchant then receives the amount of the transaction minus the interchange fee and the bank’s personal fee. Presently the average fee resides at about 2% in the US. This bill seeks to give merchants more freedom by permitting them to negotiate with credit card associations to agree upon rates that are accessible to both parties. However the provision receiving most opposition is the one that would create a panel of three EPS judges to formulate a schedule of rates and terms for three-year periods. Banks and credit unions feel that such government interference would go against the existing market patterns that are essential to a competitive free market system.
Fair Market Value Tax Deductions for Donating Artists by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 3, 2008 (3:05am)
An amendment to a ridiculous law, H.R. 1524 would change the present rule on tax deductions so that artists would receive a fair market value tax deduction for contributing their art to certain tax-exempt organizations. Presently, an artist’s tax deduction is only worth the value of the materials used to create the artwork. However if someone buys an artist’s work and then chooses to donate it to a tax-exempt organization that person would then receive the fair market value tax deduction. Therefore this legislation is trying to correct the absurdity and help the artists receive their fair share of the money.
Oklahoma's Lake Arcadia Payments by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 2, 2008 (8:24pm)
Federal Railroad Safety by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 2, 2008 (7:22pm)
Supported by the White House, H.R. 1516 would authorize funds to cover activities under the Federal railroad safety laws up till fiscal year 2011. In an attempt to prevent human/railway accidents caused from fatigue, one of the bill’s provisions would be to establish a maximum number of hours a train employee may be on duty.
Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 2, 2008 (6:31pm)
An amendment opposed by the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior, H.R. 1503 would require the participation of the Department of Interior in the construction of water recycling facilities in Avra Valley of Arizona. The recycling facilities would aide the restoration of riparian habitat in the Black Wash Sonoran Desert ecosystem. As 21 of the 32 other projects under the original act are recieving funding, the Bureau does not find the timing of an additional project to be appropriate. Nonetheless, the Pima County Wastewater Management Department calls for the Bureau’s support in this legislation as it would significantly help appease Arizona’s growing population’s needs without drastically scarring the environment.
State Children's Health Insurance Program 2007 by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 2, 2008 (3:48pm)
Biometrics for Borders by Milan Sundaresan, Jul 2, 2008 (4:29am)
In a preemptive move against illegal immigration, H.R. 2490 calls for the a pilot program initializing the use of biometric identification that would aide the Department of Homeland Security in the waters. It would also require an analysis of the costs of installing biometric capabilities to appropriate maritime vessels. One could easily predict the support of IT companies hoping to get a contract from the government.
Free Postage for Patriotic Parcels by Milan Sundaresan, Jun 26, 2008 (10:55pm)
A wonderful bill that would provide free mailing privileges to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, H.R. 1439 would help families and friends remain connected with their loved ones abroad. With rising stamp prices and saddening suicide rates in the Armed Forces, this legislation should be passed. However one can wonder just how hefty the cost of covering such correspondence might be.
Hydrogeology Saves the Day by Milan Sundaresan, Aug 7, 2008 (9:16pm)
Encouraging hydrogeology H.R.2071 calls for the examination of aquifers (underground layers of water-bearing permeable rocks or materials from which groundwater can be extracted using a water well) in New Mexico. Rep. Wilson hopes to observe the probability of aquifer contamination as well as aquifer recharge rates.