datamatters24/research-document-archive huggingface dataset:
HR 3915 RFS
‘‘(i) In the case of a fixed-rate trans-
action in which the annual percentage rate 
will not vary during the term of the loan, 
the interest rate in effect on the date of 
consummation of the transaction. 
‘‘(ii) In the case of a transaction in 
which the rate of interest varies solely in 
accordance with an index, the interest rate 
determined by adding the index rate in ef-
fect on the date of consummation of the 
transaction to the maximum margin per-
mitted at any time during the transaction 
agreement. 
‘‘(iii) In the case of any other trans-
action in which the rate may vary at any 
time during the term of the loan for any 
reason, the interest charged on the trans-
action at the maximum rate that may be 
charged during the term of the trans-
action.’’. 
(b) ADJUSTMENT OF PERCENTAGE POINTS.—Section 
103(aa)(2) of the Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. 
1602(aa)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) 
and inserting the following new subparagraph: 
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167 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘60 days’’ and 
inserting ‘‘30 days’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) 
LIMITED
EXTENSION
OF
RESPONSE 
TIME.—The 30-day period described in paragraph 
(2) may be extended for not more than 30 days if, 
before the end of such 30-day period, the servicer 
notifies the borrower of the extension and the rea-
sons for the delay in responding.’’. 
(d) REQUESTS
FOR PAY-OFF AMOUNTS.—Section 
6(e) of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 
(12 U.S.C. 2605(e)) is amended by inserting after para-
graph (4) (as added by subsection (c) of this section) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) REQUESTS
FOR
PAY-OFF
AMOUNTS.—A 
creditor or servicer shall send a payoff balance with-
in 7 business days of the receipt of a written request 
for such balance from or on behalf of the bor-
rower.’’. 
(e) PROMPT REFUND OF ESCROW ACCOUNTS UPON 
PAYOFF.—Section 6(g) of the Real Estate Settlement 
Procedures Act of 1974 (12 U.S.C. 2605(g)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new sentence: ‘‘Any 
balance in any such account that is within the servicer’s
‘‘(II) in the case of a loan for 
less than $20,000, the lesser of 8 per-
cent of the total loan amount or 
$1,000; or 
‘‘(iii) the loan documents permit the 
creditor to charge or collect prepayment 
fees or penalties more than 30 months 
after the loan closing or such fees or pen-
alties exceed, in the aggregate, more than 
2 percent of the amount prepaid. 
‘‘(B) INTRODUCTORY RATES TAKEN INTO 
ACCOUNT.—For 
purposes 
of 
subparagraph 
(A)(i), the annual percentage rate of interest 
shall be determined based on the following in-
terest rate: 
‘‘(i) In the case of a fixed-rate loan in 
which the annual percentage rate will not 
vary during the term of the loan, the inter-
est rate in effect on the date of consumma-
tion of the transaction. 
‘‘(ii) In the case of a loan in which 
the rate of interest varies solely in accord-
ance with an index, the interest rate deter-
mined by adding the index rate in effect on 
the date of consummation of the trans-
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made to the same consumer, the creditor shall make 
a reasonable and good faith determination, based on 
verified and documented information, that the con-
sumer has a reasonable ability to repay the com-
bined payments of all loans on the same dwelling ac-
cording to the terms of those loans and all applicable 
taxes, insurance, and assessments. 
‘‘(3) BASIS
FOR
DETERMINATION.—A deter-
mination under this subsection of a consumer’s abil-
ity to repay a residential mortgage loan shall be 
based on consideration of the consumer’s credit his-
tory, current income, expected income the consumer 
is reasonably assured of receiving, current obliga-
tions, debt-to-income ratio, employment status, and 
other financial resources other than the consumer’s 
equity in the dwelling or real property that secures 
repayment of the loan. 
‘‘(4) NONSTANDARD LOANS.— 
‘‘(A) VARIABLE RATE LOANS THAT DEFER 
REPAYMENT
OF
ANY
PRINCIPAL
OR
INTER-
EST.—For purposes of determining, under this 
subsection, a consumer’s ability to repay a vari-
able rate residential mortgage loan that allows 
or requires the consumer to defer the repay-
ment of any principal or interest, the creditor
HR 3887 RFS
(C) the term ‘‘worker’’ means an individual 
who is the subject of foreign labor contracting 
activity. 
(2) DISCLOSURE.—Any person who engages in 
foreign labor contracting activity shall ascertain and 
disclose in writing, in English and in a language un-
derstood by the worker being recruited, to each 
worker who is recruited for employment, at the time 
of the worker’s recruitment, the following informa-
tion: 
(A) The location and period of employ-
ment, and any travel or transportation expenses 
to be assessed. 
(B) The compensation for the employment 
and any other employee benefit to be provided 
and any costs to be charged for each benefit. 
(C) A description of employment require-
ments and activities. 
(D) The existence of any labor organizing 
effort, strike, lockout, or other labor dispute at 
the place of employment. 
(E) The existence of any arrangement with 
any person involving the receipt of a commis-
sion or any other benefit for the provision of 
items or services to workers. 
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HR 3887 RFS
the authority to take evidence in public hear-
ings or by other means. 
‘‘(C) The Director shall, in coordination 
and cooperation with the Assistant Secretary 
for International Labor Affairs and other offi-
cials at the Department of State involved in 
corporate responsibility and other relevant offi-
cials of the United States Government, be re-
sponsible for promoting, building, and sus-
taining partnerships between the United States 
Government and private entities (including 
foundations, universities, corporations, commu-
nity-based organizations, and other nongovern-
mental organizations) to ensure that United 
States citizens do not use any item, product, or 
material produced or extracted with the use of 
labor from victims of severe forms of trafficking 
and to ensure that such entities do not con-
tribute to trafficking in persons involving sexual 
exploitation, such as through work with the air-
lines and tourism industries. 
‘‘(D) The Director shall be solely respon-
sible for all policy, funding, and programming 
decisions regarding funds made available for 
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shall take into consideration a fully amortizing 
repayment schedule. 
‘‘(B) INTEREST-ONLY
LOANS.—For pur-
poses of determining, under this subsection, a 
consumer’s ability to repay a residential mort-
gage loan that permits or requires the payment 
of interest only, the creditor shall take into con-
sideration the payment amount required to am-
ortize the loan by its final maturity. 
‘‘(C) CALCULATION FOR NEGATIVE AMOR-
TIZATION.—In making any determination under 
this subsection, a creditor shall also take into 
consideration any balance increase that may ac-
crue from any negative amortization provision. 
‘‘(D) CALCULATION
PROCESS.—For pur-
poses of making any determination under this 
subsection, a creditor shall calculate the month-
ly payment amount for principal and interest on 
any residential mortgage loan by assuming— 
‘‘(i) the loan proceeds are fully dis-
bursed on the date of the consummation of 
the loan; 
‘‘(ii) the loan is to be repaid in sub-
stantially equal monthly amortizing pay-
ments for principal and interest over the
action to the maximum margin permitted 
at any time during the loan agreement. 
‘‘(iii) In the case of any other loan in 
which the rate may vary at any time dur-
ing the term of the loan for any reason, 
the interest charged on the loan at the 
maximum rate that may be charged during 
the term of the loan.’’. 
(b) ADJUSTMENT OF PERCENTAGE POINTS.—Section 
103(aa)(2) of the Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. 
1602(aa)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) 
and inserting the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) An increase or decrease under sub-
paragraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) may not result in the number of 
percentage points referred to in paragraph 
(1)(A)(i)(I) being less than 6 percentage 
points or greater than 10 percentage 
points; and 
‘‘(ii) may not result in the number of 
percentage points referred to in paragraph 
(1)(A)(i)(II) being less than 8 percentage 
points or greater than 12 percentage 
points.’’. 
(c) POINTS AND FEES DEFINED.— 
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(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘State and 
who has been deemed eligible by that court for 
long-term foster care due to abuse, neglect, or 
abandonment;’’ and inserting ‘‘State, or an indi-
vidual or entity appointed by a State or juvenile 
court located in the United States, and whose re-
unification with one or both of the immigrant’s 
parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, aban-
donment, or a similar basis found under State 
law;’’; 
(B) in clause (iii), in the matter preceding 
subclause (I), by striking ‘‘the Attorney General 
expressly consents to the dependency order serv-
ing as a precondition to the grant of special im-
migrant juvenile status;’’ and inserting ‘‘the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security consents to the 
grant of special immigrant juvenile status,’’; and 
(C) in clause (iii)(I), by striking ‘‘in the ac-
tual or constructive custody of the Attorney Gen-
eral unless the Attorney General specifically con-
sents to such jurisdiction;’’ and inserting ‘‘in the 
custody of the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services unless the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services specifically consents to such ju-
risdiction;’’. 
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(2) EXPEDITIOUS ADJUDICATION.—All applica-
tions for special immigrant status under section 
101(a)(27)(J) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)) shall be adjudicated by 
the Secretary of Homeland Security not later than 
180 days after the date of filing the application. 
(3) 
ADJUSTMENT
OF
STATUS.—Section 
245(h)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1255(h)(2)(A)) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(A) paragraphs (4), (5)(A), (6)(A), (6)(C), 
(6)(D), (7)(A), 9(B), and 9(C)(i)(I) of section 
212(a) shall not apply; and’’. 
(4) ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A child who has been 
granted special immigrant status under section 
101(a)(27)(J) of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)) and who was 
either in the custody of the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services at the time a dependency 
order was granted for such child or who was re-
ceiving services pursuant to section 501(a) of the 
Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (8 
U.S.C. 1522 note) at the time such dependency 
order was granted, shall be eligible for placement 
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(ii) in item (bb), by striking ‘‘, and’’ 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(iii) by redesignating item (bb) as item 
(cc); and 
(iv) by inserting after item (aa) the 
following: 
‘‘(bb) 
in 
the 
Secretary’s 
sole 
and 
unreviewable discretion, that the alien is un-
likely or unable to cooperate with such a request 
due to physical or psychological trauma; or’’; 
and 
(E) in subclause (IV)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘involving unusual and 
severe harm’’; and 
(ii) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in clause (ii)(II), by striking ‘‘alien; and’’ 
and inserting ‘‘alien and any parents or siblings of 
such alien who establish a present danger of retalia-
tion as a result of the alien’s cooperation with law en-
forcement.’’; and 
(3) by striking clause (iii). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR T VISA ISSUANCE.—Section 
214(o) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1184(o)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
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(A) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (9), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(10) effective for plan years beginning on or 
after October 1, 2008, how the plan will provide for 
child health assistance with respect to targeted low- 
income children through alternative coverage options 
in accordance with subsection (e).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) ALTERNATIVE COVERAGE OPTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Effective October 1, 2008, 
a State child health plan shall provide for the offer-
ing of any qualified alternative coverage that a 
qualified entity seeks to offer to targeted low-income 
children through the plan in the State. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION
OF
UNIFORM
FINANCIAL 
LIMITATION FOR ALL ALTERNATIVE COVERAGE OP-
TIONS.—With respect to all qualified alternative cov-
erage offered in a State, the State child health plan 
shall establish a uniform dollar limitation on the per 
capita monthly amount that will be paid by the 
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from further consideration of such resolution 
and such resolution shall be placed on the ap-
propriate calendar of the Senate. 
(C) EXPEDITED FLOOR CONSIDERATION.— 
Not later than 5 legislative days after the date 
on which all committees have been discharged 
from consideration of a resolution, the majority 
leader of the Senate, or the majority leader’s 
designee, shall move to proceed to the consider-
ation of the resolution. It shall also be in order 
for any member of the Senate to move to pro-
ceed to the consideration of the resolution at 
any time after the conclusion of such 5-day pe-
riod. All points of order against the resolution 
(and against consideration of the resolution) 
are waived. A motion to proceed to the consid-
eration of the resolution in the Senate is privi-
leged and is not debatable. The motion is not 
subject to amendment, to a motion to postpone 
consideration of the resolution, or to a motion 
to proceed to the consideration of other busi-
ness. A motion to reconsider the vote by which 
the motion to proceed is agreed to or not 
agreed to shall not be in order. If the motion 
to proceed is agreed to, the Senate shall imme-
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(2) 
APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional commit-
tees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Finance of the Sen-
ate; 
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(D) the Committee on Ways and Means of 
the House of Representatives. 
(3) ASEAN.—The term ‘‘ASEAN’’ means the 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 
(4) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means— 
(A) an individual, corporation, company, 
business association, partnership, society, trust, 
any other nongovernmental entity, organization, 
or group; and 
(B) any successor, subunit, or subsidiary of 
any person described in subparagraph (A). 
(5) SPDC.—The term ‘‘SPDC’’ means the State 
Peace and Development Council, the ruling military 
regime in Burma. 
(6) UNITED STATES PERSON.—The term ‘‘United 
States person’’ means any United States citizen, per-
lation, authorize exceptions to the prohibition and re-
strictions described in subsection (a), and the Sec-
retary of the Treasury may, by regulation, authorize 
exceptions to the prohibitions and restrictions de-
scribed in subsections (b) and (c)— 
(A) to permit the United States and Burma 
to operate their diplomatic missions, and to per-
mit the United States to conduct other official 
United States Government business in Burma; 
(B) to permit United States citizens to visit 
Burma; and 
(C) to permit the United States to comply 
with the United Nations Headquarters Agree-
ment and other applicable international agree-
ments. 
(g) PENALTIES.—Any person who violates any prohi-
bition or restriction imposed pursuant to subsection (b) or 
(c) shall be subject to the penalties under section 6 of the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 
1705) to the same extent as for a violation under that Act. 
(h) TERMINATION OF SANCTIONS.—The sanctions im-
posed under subsection (a), (b), or (c) shall apply until the 
President determines and certifies to the appropriate con-
gressional committees that the SPDC has—
101 
paragraph, the term ‘compelling family reasons’ in-
cludes at least the following: 
‘‘(i) Domestic violence (verified by such 
reasonable and confidential documentation as 
the State law may require) which causes the in-
dividual reasonably to believe that such individ-
ual’s continued employment would jeopardize 
the safety of the individual or of any member 
of the individual’s immediate family. 
‘‘(ii) The illness or disability of a member 
of the individual’s immediate family. 
‘‘(iii) The need for the individual to accom-
pany such individual’s spouse— 
‘‘(I) to a place from which it is im-
practical for such individual to commute; 
and 
‘‘(II) due to a change in location of 
the spouse’s employment. 
‘‘(C) Weekly unemployment compensation is 
payable under this subparagraph to any individual 
who is unemployed (as determined under the State 
unemployment compensation law), has exhausted all 
rights to regular and (if applicable) extended unem-
ployment compensation under the State law, and is 
enrolled and making satisfactory progress in a
776 
(c) Of the funds appropriated under this heading that 
are made available to the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, 
and Humanitarian Assistance, not less than $19,500,000 
shall be made available for the Elections and Political 
Process Fund, $7,500,000 shall be made available for 
international 
labor 
programs, 
and 
not 
less 
than 
$10,000,000 shall be made available to provide institu-
tional and core support for organizations that promote 
human rights, independent media and the rule of law. 
(d) Funds appropriated by this Act that are made 
available for the promotion of democracy may be made 
available notwithstanding any other provision of law. 
Funds appropriated under this heading are in addition to 
funds otherwise made available for such purposes. 
(e) For the purposes of funds appropriated by this 
Act, the term ‘‘promotion of democracy’’ means programs 
that support good governance, human rights, independent 
media, and the rule of law, and otherwise strengthen the 
capacity of democratic political parties, governments, non-
governmental organizations and institutions, and citizens 
to support the development of democratic states, institu-
tions, and practices that are responsive and accountable 
to citizens. 
(f) Any contract, grant, or cooperative agreement (or 
any amendment to any contract, grant, or cooperative 
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‘‘(7) The average number of months such indi-
viduals were employed during the year covered by 
the report. 
‘‘(8) The average annual starting and ending 
salaries such individuals who were employed during 
the year covered by the report. 
‘‘(9) The number of such individuals enrolled in 
an institution of higher learning, as that term is de-
fined in section 3452(f) of this title. 
‘‘(10) The average number of academic credit 
hours, degrees, and certificates obtained by such in-
dividuals during the year covered by the report. 
‘‘(11) The average number of visits such indi-
viduals made to Department medical facilities during 
the year covered by the report. 
‘‘(12) The average number of visits such indi-
viduals made to non-Department medical facilities 
during the year covered by the report. 
‘‘(13) The average annual income of such indi-
viduals. 
‘‘(14) The average total household income of 
such individuals for the year covered by the report. 
‘‘(15) The percentage of such individuals who 
own their principal residences.
‘‘(16) The average number of dependents of 
each such veteran.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘3122. Longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation programs.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 20, 2008. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3889 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 
longitudinal study of the vocational rehabilitation 
programs administered by the Secretary.
‘‘(12) The average number of visits such vet-
erans made to non-Department medical facilities 
during the year covered by the report. 
‘‘(13) The average total household income of 
such veterans for the year covered by the report. 
‘‘(14) The percentage of such veterans who own 
their principal residences. 
‘‘(15) The average number of dependents of 
each such veteran.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘3122. Longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation programs.’’. 
Æ 
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fail to provide life-protecting and life-sustaining serv-
ices to its people. 
(16) The international community responded 
immediately to the cyclone and attempted to provide 
humanitarian assistance. More than 30 disaster as-
sessment teams from 18 different nations and the 
United Nations arrived in the region, but the Bur-
mese regime denied them permission to enter the 
country. Eventually visas were granted to aid work-
ers, but the regime continues to severely limit their 
ability to provide assistance in the affected areas. 
(17) Despite the devastation caused by Cyclone 
Nargis, the junta went ahead with its referendum on 
a constitution drafted by an illegitimate assembly, 
conducting voting in unaffected areas on May 10, 
2008, and in portions of the affected Irrawaddy re-
gion and Rangoon on May 26, 2008. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ACCOUNT; CORRESPONDENT ACCOUNT; PAY-
ABLE-THROUGH
ACCOUNT.—The terms ‘‘account’’, 
‘‘correspondent account’’, and ‘‘payable-through ac-
count’’ have the meanings given the terms in section 
5318A(e)(1) of title 31, United States Code.
HR 3889 RFS
‘‘(16) The average number of dependents of 
each such veteran.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘3122. Longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation programs.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 20, 2008. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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