datamatters24/research-document-archive huggingface dataset:
I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4492 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to reauthorize the temporary mortgage and rental payments program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 8, 2005 
Mrs. MALONEY (for herself, Ms. WATERS, and Mr. MELANCON) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act to reauthorize the temporary mort-
gage and rental payments program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mortgage and Rental 
Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The mortgage and rental assistance pro-
gram was authorized under the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) to provide assistance to individ-
uals who have lost a portion of their income and are 
having difficulties paying their rents or mortgages. 
(2) The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Pub-
lic Law 106–390) amended the Stafford Act to end 
the program in May 2002. 
(3) Following the major disaster declaration re-
sulting from the terrorist attacks in New York on 
September 11, 2001, the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency allowed the use of funds under the 
program to aid residents who were having difficulties 
paying their rents or mortgages. 
(4) The program should be reauthorized to 
allow the Federal Government to provide direct 
housing assistance to those who have been displaced 
by Hurricane Katrina. 
SEC. 3. TEMPORARY MORTGAGE RENTAL ASSISTANCE. 
Section 408(c)(1) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5174(c)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as sub-
paragraph (C); and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(B) TEMPORARY MORTGAGE AND RENTAL 
PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The President is 
authorized to provide assistance on a tem-
porary basis in the form of mortgage or 
rental payments to or on behalf of individ-
uals and families who, as a result of finan-
cial hardship caused by a major disaster, 
certify that they face dispossession or evic-
tion from a residence by reason of a fore-
closure of any mortgage or lien, cancella-
tion of any contract of sale, or termination 
of any lease, entered into prior to such dis-
aster. 
‘‘(ii) DURATION
OF
ASSISTANCE.— 
The assistance under this subparagraph 
shall be provided for the duration of the 
period of financial hardship but not to ex-
ceed 18 months.’’. 
SEC. 4. APPLICABILITY. 
The amendments made by section 3 shall apply with 
respect to a major disaster occurring on or after August 
24, 2005. 
Æ
plans. The Tax Code’s provision of benefits for 
mostly employer-provided health insurance has dis-
criminated against individuals who work for these 
employers, especially small businesses. This is why 
90 percent of American businesses that provide 
health insurance offer employees the ‘‘choice’’ of 
only one health care plan. Americans who work for 
businesses with fewer than 25 employees are half as 
likely to have health coverage as those working for 
companies with 1,000 or more employees. 
(6) The Tax Code’s preferment of employer- 
provided group plans has triggered a marketplace 
response reflected in the significant increases in 
large group health care delivery, and the creation of 
a few health care conglomerates in lieu of thousands 
of competitive providers of medical services and 
health insurance. This has increasingly placed med-
ical decisions in the hands of health care bureauc-
racies, and significantly eroded the doctor-patient re-
lationship. Medical decisions should be returned to 
doctors and their patients. This will result in higher 
quality treatment and more patient protection. 
(7) Consumers should have the freedom to pur-
chase the health insurance of their choice, to choose
I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4494 
To repeal the provision of law that provides automatic pay adjustments 
for Members of Congress. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 8, 2005 
Mr. PLATTS (for himself and Mr. MATHESON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in 
addition to the Committee on Government Reform, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To repeal the provision of law that provides automatic pay 
adjustments for Members of Congress. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. ELIMINATION OF AUTOMATIC PAY ADJUST-
MENTS FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 601(a) 
of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 
31) is repealed. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Section 601(a)(1) of such Act is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘(a)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a)’’; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), 
and (C) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively; 
and 
(3) by striking ‘‘as adjusted by paragraph (2) 
of this subsection’’ and inserting ‘‘adjusted as pro-
vided by law’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
as of December 31, 2005. 
Æ
their own doctors, and to make their own decisions 
about their health care. 
(8) By putting the medical choices made by in-
dividuals on an equal footing with the medical 
choices made for them by their employers and third 
parties, the Tax Code can encourage greater choice 
and competition, thereby reducing the cost of nec-
essary insurance for all Americans. This will enable 
millions more Americans to obtain needed health 
coverage, to make their own choices about which 
doctors to see, and to have access to the quality care 
they deserve and expect. 
SEC. 3. TAX DEDUCTIBILITY OF MEDICAL EXPENSES FOR 
INDIVIDUALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 213(a) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to the treatment of med-
ical and dental expenses) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) ALLOWANCE OF DEDUCTION.—There shall be 
allowed as a deduction the expenses paid during the tax-
able year, not compensated for by insurance or otherwise, 
for medical care of the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse, 
or a dependent (as defined in section 152, determined 
without regard to subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and (d)(1)(B) 
thereof).’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to taxable years beginning after 
the calendar year which includes the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
Æ
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A State loan fund 
established under this subsection may ac-
cept contributions from private sector enti-
ties, except that such entities may not 
specify the recipient or recipients of any 
loan issued under this subsection. 
‘‘(ii) 
AVAILABILITY
OF
INFORMA-
TION.—A State shall make publically avail-
able the identity of, and amount contrib-
uted by, any private sector entity under 
clause (i) and may issue letters of com-
mendation or make other awards (that 
have no financial value) to any such entity. 
‘‘(8) MATCHING REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may 
not make a grant under paragraph (1) to a 
State unless the State agrees to make available 
(directly or through donations from public or 
private entities) non-Federal contributions in 
cash toward the costs of the State program to 
be implemented under the grant in an amount 
equal to not less than $1 for each $1 of Federal 
funds provided under the grant. 
‘‘(B) DETERMINATION
OF
AMOUNT
OF 
NON-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION.—In determining
the amount of non-Federal contributions that a 
State has provided pursuant to subparagraph 
(A), the Secretary may not include any 
amounts provided to the State by the Federal 
Government. 
‘‘(9) PREFERENCE
IN
AWARDING
GRANTS.— 
The Secretary may give a preference in awarding 
grants under this subsection to States that adopt 
value-based purchasing programs to improve health 
care quality. 
‘‘(10) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall annually 
submit to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Finance 
of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means 
of the House of Representatives, a report summa-
rizing the reports received by the Secretary from 
each State that receives a grant under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(c) GRANTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RE-
GIONAL OR LOCAL HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award 
competitive grants to eligible entities to implement 
regional or local health information plans to improve
health care quality and efficiency through the elec-
tronic exchange of health information pursuant to 
the standards, protocols, and other requirements 
adopted by the Secretary under sections 2903 and 
2908. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under paragraph (1) an entity shall— 
‘‘(A) demonstrate financial need to the 
Secretary; 
‘‘(B) demonstrate that one of its principal 
missions or purposes is to use information tech-
nology to improve health care quality and effi-
ciency; 
‘‘(C) adopt bylaws, memoranda of under-
standing, or other charter documents that dem-
onstrate that the governance structure and de-
cisionmaking processes of such entity allow for 
participation on an ongoing basis by multiple 
stakeholders within a community, including— 
‘‘(i) physicians (as defined in section 
1861(r) of the Social Security Act), includ-
ing physicians that provide services to low 
income and underserved populations;
I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4495 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to extend 
by two years the date by which small public water systems must comply 
with the maximum contaminant level for arsenic in drinking water. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 8, 2005 
Mr. RENZI (for himself, Mr. SIMPSON, and Mr. OTTER) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency to extend by two years the date by which small 
public water systems must comply with the maximum 
contaminant level for arsenic in drinking water. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rural Communities 
Water Relief Act of 2005’’.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF DATE FOR COMPLIANCE BY SMALL 
PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS WITH MCL FOR AR-
SENIC IN DRINKING WATER. 
(a) EXTENSION.—The Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency shall, with respect to small pub-
lic water systems, extend from January 23, 2006, to Janu-
ary 23, 2008, the effective date provided in paragraph (j) 
of section 141.6, Code of Federal Regulations (or any suc-
cessor regulation), for compliance with— 
(1) the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for 
arsenic in drinking water of 0.010 mg/L (10 
micrograms per Liter); and 
(2) the related requirements specified in such 
paragraph. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘small public water system’’ 
means a public water system that serves a commu-
nity with a population of not more than 65,000 indi-
viduals. 
(2) The term ‘‘public water system’’ has the 
meaning given to that term in section 1401 of the 
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f). 
Æ
I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4626 
To rechannelize spectrum in the 700 megahertz band to promote the deploy-
ment of commercial broadband technologies to facilitate interoperable 
communications for public safety. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 17, 2005 
Mr. FERGUSON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To rechannelize spectrum in the 700 megahertz band to 
promote the deployment of commercial broadband tech-
nologies to facilitate interoperable communications for 
public safety. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Re-Channelization of 
Public Safety Spectrum Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The inability of first responders to commu-
nicate efficiently or effectively in the aftermath of 
the Gulf hurricanes, let alone with the latest and 
most state-of-the-art communications technologies, 
underscores the need for decisive action to ensure 
that problems of interoperability are resolved as 
quickly as possible. However, interoperability should 
not only be between existing public safety commu-
nications systems. 
(2) Interoperability must also be between those 
communications systems and the new broadband 
wireless data technologies that are currently being 
deployed across the country by commercial operators 
and transforming the way Americans communicate, 
a transformation that could also benefit our first re-
sponders. 
(3) Integration of the data capabilities with tra-
ditional public safety voice communications could be 
greatly facilitated, in the short term, specifically by 
rechannelizing or reorganizing the ‘‘public safety 
spectrum’’ in the upper 700 megahertz band to 
allow for the deployment of commercially available 
broadband technologies.
SEC. 3. RECHANNELIZATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY SPEC-
TRUM REQUIRED. 
Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall 
initiate a rulemaking to rechannelize the public safety 
spectrum located in the upper 700 megahertz band to ac-
commodate commercially available broadband applica-
tions. Such rulemaking shall be completed within 180 
days. 
Æ
I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4496 
To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide for certain transportation 
and subsistence in cases where district courts are holding special sessions 
as a result of emergency conditions. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 8, 2005 
Mr. SENSENBRENNER (for himself and Mr. CONYERS) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide for certain 
transportation and subsistence in cases where district 
courts are holding special sessions as a result of emer-
gency conditions. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. TRANSPORTATION AND SUBSISTENCE FOR 
SPECIAL SESSIONS OF DISTRICT COURTS. 
(a) TRANSPORTATION AND SUBSISTENCE.—Section 
141(b) of title 28, United States Code, as added by section 
2(b) of Public Law 109–63, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
‘‘(5) If a district court issues an order exercising its 
authority under paragraph (1), the court shall direct the 
United States marshal of the district where the court is 
meeting to furnish transportation and subsistence to the 
same extent as that provided in sections 4282 and 4285 
of title 18.’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out paragraph (5) of section 141(b) of 
title 28, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) 
of this section. 
Æ
‘‘(ii) hospitals (including hospitals 
that provide services to low income and un-
derserved populations); 
‘‘(iii) pharmacists or pharmacies; 
‘‘(iv) health insurance plans; 
‘‘(v) health centers (as defined in sec-
tion 330(b)) and Federally qualified health 
centers (as defined in section 1861(aa)(4) 
of the Social Security Act); 
‘‘(vi) rural health clinics (as defined in 
section 1861(aa) of the Social Security 
Act); 
‘‘(vii) patient or consumer organiza-
tions; 
‘‘(viii) employers; and 
‘‘(ix) any other health care providers 
or other entities, as determined appro-
priate by the Secretary; 
‘‘(D) adopt nondiscrimination and conflict 
of interest policies that demonstrate a commit-
ment to open, fair, and nondiscriminatory par-
ticipation in the health information plan by all 
stakeholders; 
‘‘(E) adopt the standards adopted by the 
Secretary under section 2903;
‘‘(F) require that health care providers re-
ceiving such loans implement the measurement 
system adopted under section 2908 and report 
to the Secretary on such measures; 
‘‘(G) facilitate the electronic exchange of 
health information within the local or regional 
area and among local and regional areas; 
‘‘(H) prepare and submit to the Secretary 
an application in accordance with paragraph 
(3); and 
‘‘(I) agree to provide matching funds in ac-
cordance with paragraph (5). 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under paragraph (1), an entity 
shall submit to the Secretary an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(B) 
REQUIRED
INFORMATION.—At 
a 
minimum, an application submitted under this 
paragraph shall include— 
‘‘(i) clearly identified short-term and 
long-term objectives of the regional or local 
health information plan;
I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4498 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize a case-by- 
case waiver of certain naturalization requirements for children of mem-
bers of the Armed Forces who are adopted outside the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 8, 2005 
Mr. STRICKLAND introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize 
a case-by-case waiver of certain naturalization require-
ments for children of members of the Armed Forces 
who are adopted outside the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF WAIVER OF CERTAIN NAT-
URALIZATION 
REQUIREMENTS 
FOR 
CHIL-
DREN OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
WHO ARE ADOPTED OUTSIDE THE UNITED 
STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 322 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1433) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) In the case of a child who is adopted outside 
the United States by a member of the Armed Forces who 
at the time of adoption is stationed outside the United 
States, the Secretary of Homeland Security may waive on 
a case-by-case basis the following requirements insofar as 
the member’s service outside the United States may pre-
vent the satisfaction of such requirements: 
‘‘(1) Paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subsection 
(a). 
‘‘(2) Subsection (b), insofar as it requires the 
taking and subscribing the oath of allegiance within 
the United States.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to children adopted before, on, 
or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ
I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4627 
To validate certain conveyances made by the Union Pacific Railroad Company 
of lands located in Reno, Nevada, that were originally conveyed by 
the United States to facilitate construction of transcontinental railroads, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 17, 2005 
Mr. GIBBONS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To validate certain conveyances made by the Union Pacific 
Railroad Company of lands located in Reno, Nevada, 
that were originally conveyed by the United States to 
facilitate construction of transcontinental railroads, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. VALIDATION OF RAIL CORRIDOR REAL PROP-
ERTY CONVEYANCES, RENO, NEVADA. 
(a) VALIDATION.— 
(1) CONVEYANCES COVERED BY MEMORANDUM 
OF
UNDERSTANDING.—The land conveyances that
were made, or are to be made, to the City of Reno, 
Nevada, by the Union Pacific Railroad Company 
pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding for 
Reno Rail Corridor, as amended, entered into on De-
cember 1, 1998, between the City of Reno and the 
Union Pacific Railroad Company, and that comprise 
approximately 120 acres of land originally granted 
by the United States to the predecessor of the Union 
Pacific Railroad Company to facilitate construction 
of transcontinental railroads are hereby valid to the 
extent that the conveyances would have been valid 
had the land involved in the conveyances been held 
by the Union Pacific Railroad Company in absolute 
or fee-simple title at the time of the conveyances. 
(2) ADDITIONAL CONVEYANCE.—The land con-
veyance made to the City of Reno, Nevada, by CTB 
Inc., a Nevada Corporation, in the grant, bargain, 
and sale deed dated October 22, 2002, and involving 
a parcel of land situated in the NW1⁄4SW1⁄4 of Sec-
tion 11, Township 19 North, Range 9 East, Mount 
Diablo base and meridian, is hereby valid to the ex-
tent that the conveyance would have been valid had 
the land involved in the conveyance been held by 
CTB Inc. in absolute or fee-simple title at the time 
of the conveyance.
(b) RELEASE OF UNITED STATES INTERESTS.—All 
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
the land described in subsection (a) are hereby released 
to the City of Reno, without consideration. 
(c) FILING
OF INSTRUMENTS.—As soon as prac-
ticable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of the Interior shall file for recordation in the 
real property records of Washoe County, Nevada, such in-
struments as may be necessary to document the validation 
of the land conveyances described in subsection (a) and 
the release of the interests of the United States under sub-
section (b). 
Æ
‘‘(ii) a technology plan that complies 
with the standards adopted under section 
2903 and that includes a descriptive and 
reasoned estimate of costs of the hardware, 
software, training, and consulting services 
necessary to implement the regional or 
local health information plan; 
‘‘(iii) a strategy that includes initia-
tives to improve health care quality and ef-
ficiency, including the use and reporting of 
health care quality measures adopted 
under section 2908; 
‘‘(iv) a plan that describes provisions 
to encourage the implementation of the 
electronic exchange of health information 
by all physicians, including single physician 
practices and small physician groups par-
ticipating in the health information plan; 
‘‘(v) a plan to ensure the privacy and 
security of personal health information 
that is consistent with Federal and State 
law; 
‘‘(vi) a governance plan that defines 
the manner in which the stakeholders shall