In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Shareholder Empowerment Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. MAJORITY VOTING FOR DIRECTORS.

    The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is amended by adding after 
section 16 the following new section:

``SEC. 16A. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.

    ``(a) Standards Relating to Election of Directors.--
            ``(1) Commission rules.--Not later than 270 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall, by 
        rule, direct the national securities exchanges and national 
        securities associations to prohibit the listing of any security 
        of an issuer that is not in compliance with the requirements of 
        any portion of paragraph (2). Such rules shall provide for 
        appropriate procedures for an issuer to have an opportunity to 
        cure any defects that would be the basis for such a prohibition 
        before the imposition of such prohibition.
            ``(2) Standards for election of directors.--
                    ``(A) Majority voting.--Each issuer shall, to the 
                extent permitted under State law, provide in its 
                governing documents that--
                            ``(i) directors in uncontested elections 
                        shall be elected by a majority of the votes 
                        cast as to each nominee; and
                            ``(ii) in contested elections where the 
                        number of nominees exceeds the number of 
                        directors to be elected, directors shall be 
                        elected by the vote of a plurality of the 
                        shares represented at any meeting and entitled 
                        to vote on the election of directors.
                    ``(B) Resignation policy.--Each issuer shall also, 
                to the extent permitted under State law, adopt 
                procedures under which any director who is not elected 
                to a new term shall offer to tender his or her 
                resignation to the board of directors. The board of 
                directors, with the advice of a committee of the board 
                if such a committee has been established for that 
                purpose, shall determine what action should be taken as 
                to that resignation and shall publicly disclose its 
                decision and the rationale for that decision within a 
                reasonable period after certification of the election 
                results.
    ``(b) Shareholder Access to the Proxy in Director Elections.--
            ``(1) Rule.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Commission shall, by rule, 
        require that in proxy statements and proxies, authorizations or 
        consents prepared by an issuer pursuant to section 14, the 
        issuer shall identify and provide security holders with an 
        opportunity to vote on candidates for the board of directors 
        who have been nominated by holders in the aggregate at least 1 
        percent of the issuer's voting securities for at least 2 years 
        prior to a record date established by the issuer for a meeting 
        of security holders.
            ``(2) Application.--This rule shall specify the information 
        to be provided to an issuer by security holders who nominate 
        candidates for inclusion in an issuer's proxy materials under 
        this section and shall require the issuer to disclose 
        information about such candidates in the issuer's proxy 
        materials to the same extent that information must be disclosed 
        about candidates nominated by the issuer. This rule shall apply 
        only when eligible security holders have nominated fewer than a 
        majority of the number of directors then authorized to serve on 
        the board of directors, and the rule shall specify procedures 
        to be followed if different security holders nominate 
        candidates sufficient to constitute a majority of the board of 
        directors.
            ``(3) Effective date.--The rule shall apply to proxy voting 
        for meetings of security holders held on or after January 1, 
        2010, except to the extent that a meeting was originally 
        scheduled to be held in 2009, but was adjourned to 2010.
    ``(c) Broker Discretionary Voting in Uncontested Director 
Elections.--Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Commission shall by, rule, require that a broker shall not 
be allowed to vote securities on an uncontested election to the board 
of directors of an issuer to the extent that the beneficial owner of 
those securities has not provided specific instructions to the broker. 
The rule shall apply to proxy voting for meetings of security holders 
held on or after January 1, 2010, except to the extent that a meeting 
was originally scheduled to be held in 2009, but was adjourned to 2010.
    ``(d) Independent Chairman of the Board of Directors.--
            ``(1) Commission rules.--Not later than 270 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall, by 
        rule, direct the national securities exchanges and national 
        securities associations to prohibit the listing of any security 
        of an issuer that is not in compliance with the requirements of 
        any portion of paragraph (2). Such rules shall provide for 
        appropriate procedures for an issuer to have an opportunity to 
        cure any defects that would be the basis for such a prohibition 
        before the imposition of such prohibition.
            ``(2) Independent chairman of the board of directors.--Each 
        issuer shall provide in its governing documents or a public 
        statement of corporate policy that, to the extent possible and 
        consistent with the issuer's status as a publicly traded 
        company, the chairman of the board of directors shall be an 
        independent director who has not previously served as an 
        executive officer of the issuer. Such rule shall be implemented 
        with due regard for contracts in existence on the date of 
        enactment of this section. For purposes of this subsection, an 
        `independent director' shall be one who during the preceding 5 
        years has not been--
                    ``(A) employed by the issuer in an executive 
                capacity;
                    ``(B) an employee, director or owner greater than 
                20 percent of the beneficial shares of a firm that is a 
                paid adviser or consultant to the issuer;
                    ``(C) employed by a significant customer or 
                supplier of the issuer;
                    ``(D) a party to a personal services contract with 
                the issuer, as well as with the issuer's Chair, chief 
                executive officer, or other senior executive officer;
                    ``(E) an employee, officer or director of a 
                foundation, university or other non-profit organization 
                that receives the greater of $100,000 or 1 percent of 
                total annual donations from the issuer;
                    ``(F) a relative of an executive of the issuer;
                    ``(G) part of an interlocking directorate in which 
                the issuer's chief executive officer or another 
                executive serves on the board of another issuer 
                employing that director; and
                    ``(H) engaged in any other relationship with the 
                issuer or senior executives that the Commission 
                determines would not render that director an 
                independent director.''.

SEC. 3. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION REQUIREMENTS.

    The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is further amended by adding 
after the section 16A, as added by section 2, the following new section

``SEC. 16B. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION REQUIREMENTS.

    ``(a) Shareholder Approval of Executive Compensation.--
            ``(1) Annual shareholder vote on executive compensation.--
        Any proxy or consent or authorization for an annual or other 
        meeting of an issuer shall permit a separate vote by 
        shareholders to approve the compensation of senior executive 
        officers, as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure 
        rules of the Commission (which disclosure shall include the 
        compensation discussion and analysis, the compensation tables, 
        and any related material).
            ``(2) Non-binding nature of vote.--A shareholder vote 
        described in paragraph (1) shall not be binding on the board of 
        directors of an issuer and may not be construed as overruling a 
        decision by such board, nor to create or imply any additional 
        fiduciary duty by such board, nor shall such vote be construed 
        to restrict or limit the ability of security holders to make 
        proposals for inclusion in proxy materials related to executive 
        compensation.
            ``(3) Deadline for rules.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall issue 
        any final rules and regulations required by this section.
            ``(4) Exception.--This provision shall not apply to any 
        issuer who is subject to a similar recoupment requirement under 
        another provision of Federal law.
    ``(b) Independent Compensation Advisers.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Commission shall, by rule, 
        require that if an issuer's board of directors or a committee 
        thereof retains an individual adviser or advisory firm in 
        conjunction with negotiating employment contracts or 
        compensation agreements with the issuer's executives, the 
        individual adviser and his or her firm shall be independent of 
        the issuer, its executives and directors, and shall report 
        solely to the board of directors or the committee thereof 
        responsible for executive compensation. The rule shall further 
        require that issuers shall not agree to indemnify or limit the 
        liability of compensation advisers or advisory firms.
            ``(2) Determination.--In determining the extent to which an 
        adviser or advisory firm is independent of an issuer within the 
        meaning of this section, the Commission shall consider such 
        matters as--
                    ``(A) the extent (as measured by annual fees and 
                other relevant metrics) to which an individual adviser 
                or advisory firm provides services in conjunction with 
                negotiating employment contracts or compensation 
                agreements with the issuer's executives, as compared to 
                other services that the adviser or advisory firm 
                provides to the issuer or executives;
                    ``(B) whether individual advisers are permitted to 
                hold equity and do hold equity in the issuer; and
                    ``(C) whether an advisory firm's incentive 
                compensation plan links the compensation of individual 
                advisers to the advisory firm's provision of other 
                services to the issuer.
    ``(c) Clawbacks of Unearned Performance-Based Pay.--
            ``(1) Commission rules.--Not later than 270 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall, by 
        rule, direct the national securities exchanges and national 
        securities associations to prohibit the listing of any security 
        of an issuer that is not in compliance with the requirements of 
        any portion of paragraph (2). Such rules shall provide for 
        appropriate procedures for an issuer to have an opportunity to 
        cure any defects that would be the basis for such a prohibition 
        before the imposition of such prohibition.
            ``(2) Recoupment of unearned compensation.--An issuer's 
        board of directors or a committee thereof shall develop and 
        disclose a policy for reviewing unearned bonus payments, 
        incentive payments, or equity payments that were awarded to 
        executive officers owing to fraud, financial results that 
        require restatement, or some other cause. The policy should 
        require recovery or cancellation of any unearned payments to 
        the extent that it is feasible and practical to do so.
            ``(3) Exception.--This provision shall not apply to any 
        issuer who is subject to a similar recoupment requirement under 
        another provision of Federal law.
    ``(d) Severance Agreements Tied to Performance.--
            ``(1) Commission rules.--Not later than 270 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall, by 
        rule, direct the national securities exchanges and national 
        securities associations to prohibit the listing of any security 
        of an issuer that is not in compliance with the requirements of 
        any portion of paragraph (2). Such rules shall provide for 
        appropriate procedures for an issuer to have an opportunity to 
        cure any defects that would be the basis for such a prohibition 
        before the imposition of such prohibition.
            ``(2) Severance agreements tied to performance.--An 
        issuer's board of directors or a committee thereof shall not 
        enter into agreements providing for severance payments to a 
        senior executive officer who is terminated because of poor 
        performance as an executive, as determined by the board of 
        directors. To the extent that an issuer is able to terminate a 
        senior executive officer for cause, poor performance by the 
        executive, as determined by the board of directors, shall be 
        considered as one such cause. The rule shall be implemented 
        with due regard for contracts in existence on the date of 
        enactment of this section.
    ``(e) Improved Disclosure of Compensation Targets.--Not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Commission 
shall, by rule, require additional disclosure of specific performance 
targets that are used by issuers to determine a senior executive 
officer's eligibility for bonuses, equity and incentive compensation. 
The Commission shall consider methods to improve disclosure in 
situations when it is claimed that disclosure would result in 
competitive harm to the issuer, including, requirements that the issuer 
describe its past experience with similar target levels, disclose any 
inconsistencies between compensation targets and targets set in other 
contexts, submit a request for confidential treatment of the 
performance targets under Commission rules, or disclose the data after 
disclosure would no longer be considered competitively harmful.''.

A: Shareholder Empowerment Act of 2009 - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to prohibit national securities exchanges and associations from listing the securities of any issuer unless, to the extent permitted by state law, such issuer requires: (1) the election of directors who receive the majority of votes in uncontested elections or a plurality of votes in contested elections; and (2) directors who are not reelected to offer to tender their resignations.

Directs the SEC to: (1) require issuers to identify and provide security holders with an opportunity to vote on director candidates who have been nominated by holders of at least 1% of the issuer's voting securities for at least two years, provided security holders have nominated fewer than a majority of the directors then authorized to serve; (2) prohibit brokers from voting securities on an uncontested election to the board of directors without having received specific instructions from the securities' beneficial owners; and (3) requires listed issuers, to the extent possible, to have an independent chairman of their board of directors who has not served as an executive of the issuer.

Requires any proxy or consent or authorization for an annual or other meeting of a securities issuer to permit a separate shareholder vote on executive compensation, though such vote shall not be binding on its board of directors.

Directs the SEC to direct the national securities exchanges and national securities associations to prohibit: (1) issuers from retaining advisors in negotiating executive employment or compensation agreements that are not independent or are protected from liability by such issuers; (2) the listing of issuers that do not have a (clawback) policy of recovering executive payments that were unearned due to fraud, faulty financial statements, or some other cause; and (3) the listing of issuers that provide severance payments to senior executives who are terminated for poor performance.

Directs the SEC to require additional disclosure of specific performance targets issuers use in determining a senior executive's eligibility for bonuses, equity, and incentive compensation.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Educational Empowerment Act''.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter:

             ``Subchapter X--Educational Empowerment Zones

        ``Sec. 1400E. Designation of educational empowerment zones.

``SEC. 1400E. DESIGNATION OF EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

    ``(a) Designation.--
            ``(1) Educational empowerment zone.--For purposes of this 
        title, the term `educational empowerment zone' means any area--
                    ``(A) which is nominated by one or more local 
                governments and the State or States in which it is 
                located for designation as an educational empowerment 
                zone (hereinafter in this section referred to as a 
                `nominated area'), and
                    ``(B) which the Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services and the Secretary of Education (hereinafter in 
                this section referred to as the `Secretaries 
                concerned') jointly designate as an educational 
                empowerment zone.
            ``(2) Number of designations.--The Secretaries concerned 
        may designate not more than 30 nominated areas as educational 
        empowerment zones.
            ``(3) Areas designated based on degree of poverty, etc.--
        Except as otherwise provided in this section, the nominated 
        areas designated as educational empowerment zones under this 
        subsection shall be those nominated areas with the highest 
        average ranking with respect to the criteria described in 
        subsection (c)(3). For purposes of the preceding sentence, an 
        area shall be ranked within each such criterion on the basis of 
        the amount by which the area exceeds such criterion, with the 
        area which exceeds such criterion by the greatest amount given 
        the highest ranking.
            ``(4) Limitation on designations.--
                    ``(A) Publication of regulations.--The Secretaries 
                concerned shall prescribe by regulation no later than 4 
                months after the date of the enactment of this 
                section--
                            ``(i) the procedures for nominating an area 
                        under paragraph (1)(A).
                            ``(ii) the parameters relating to the size 
                        and population characteristics of an 
                        educational empowerment zone, and
                            ``(iii) the manner in which nominated areas 
                        will be evaluated based on the criteria 
                        specified in subsection (c).
                    ``(B) Time limitations.--The Secretaries concerned 
                may designate nominated areas as educational 
                empowerment zones only during the 24-month period 
                beginning on the first day of the first month following 
                the month in which the regulations described in 
                subparagraph (A) are prescribed.
                    ``(C) Procedural rules.--The Secretaries concerned 
                shall not make any designation of a nominated area as 
                an educational empowerment zone under paragraph (2) 
                unless--
                            ``(i) a nomination regarding such area is 
                        submitted in such a manner and in such form, 
                        and contains such information, as the 
                        Secretaries concerned shall by regulation 
                        prescribe, and
                            ``(ii) the Secretaries concerned determine 
                        that any information furnished is reasonably 
                        accurate.
            ``(5) Nomination process for indian reservations.--For 
        purposes of this subchapter, in the case of a nominated area on 
        an Indian reservation, the reservation governing body (as 
        determined by the Secretary of the Interior) shall be treated 
        as being both the State and local governments with respect to 
        such area.
    ``(b) Period for Which Designation is in Effect.--Any designation 
of an area as an educational empowerment zone shall remain in effect 
during the period beginning on the date of the designation and ending 
on the earliest of--
            ``(1) December 31, 2007,
            ``(2) the termination date designated by the State and 
        local governments in their nomination, or
            ``(3) the date the Secretaries concerned revoke such 
        designation.
    ``(c) Area and Eligibility Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce may designate 
        a nominated area as an educational empowerment zone under 
        subsection (a) only if the area meets the requirements of 
        paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.
            ``(2) Area requirements.--For purposes of paragraph (1), a 
        nominated area meets the requirements of this paragraph if--
                    ``(A) the area is within the jurisdiction of one or 
                more local governments,
                    ``(B) the boundary of the area is continuous, and
                    ``(C) the area does not include an empowerment zone 
                (as defined in section 1393(b)) other than such a zone 
                designated under section 1391(g).
            ``(3) Eligibility requirements.--For purposes of paragraph 
        (1), a nominated area meets the requirements of this paragraph 
        if the State and the local governments in which it is located 
        certify that the nominated area satisfies such conditions as 
        the Secretary of Education deems appropriate.
            ``(4) Consideration of dropout rate, etc.--The Secretary of 
        Education, in setting forth the conditions for eligibility 
        pursuant to paragraph (3), shall take into account the extent 
        to which an area has low-income families, a high dropout rate, 
        a high rate of teen pregnancy, and large school class size.
    ``(d) Coordination With Treatment of Enterprise Communities.--For 
purposes of this title, if there are in effect with respect to the same 
area both--
            ``(1) a designation as an educational empowerment zone, and
            ``(2) a designation as an enterprise community,
both of such designations shall be given full effect with respect to 
such area.
    ``(e) Definitions and Special Rules.--For purposes of this 
subchapter, rules similar to the rules of paragraphs (2), (3), (5), and 
(7) of section 1393 shall apply.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of subchapters for chapter 1 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item:

                              ``Subchapter X. Educational Empowerment 
                                        Zones.''.

SEC. 3. CREDIT FOR DONATIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN EDUCATIONAL 
              EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

    (a) In General.--Subpart B of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after 
section 30A the following new section

``SEC. 30B. CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN EDUCATIONAL 
              EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--There shall be allowed as a credit 
against the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year an amount 
equal to the amount of qualified educational empowerment zone 
contributions made by the taxpayer during such year.
    ``(b) Maximum Credit.--The amount of the credit allowed by 
subsection (a)--
            ``(1) in the case of an individual, shall not exceed 
        $2,000, and
            ``(2) in the case of any other taxpayer, shall not exceed 
        $10,000.
    ``(c) Definition of Qualified Educational Empowerment Zone 
Contributions.--For purposes of this section, the term `qualified 
educational empowerment zone contributions' means cash contributions 
made to any school district located in an educational empowerment zone 
(as designated under section 1400E) if such contributions--
            ``(1) but for subsection (d), would be allowable as a 
        deduction under section 170, and
            ``(2) are used for any of the following purposes by the 
        school district:
                    ``(A) Hiring new teachers.
                    ``(B) Increasing teacher salaries.
                    ``(C) Training teachers.
    ``(d) Denial of Double Benefit.--No deduction shall be allowed 
under this chapter for any contribution taken into account in computing 
the credit under this section.
    ``(e) Election.--This section shall apply to any taxpayer for any 
taxable year only if such taxpayer elects (at such time and in such 
manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe) to have this 
section apply for such taxable year.
    ``(f) Application With Other Credits; Carryover of Excess Credit.--
The credit allowed by subsection (a) for any taxable year shall not 
exceed the excess (if any) of--
            ``(1) the regular tax for the taxable year reduced by the 
        sum of the credits allowable under subpart A and the preceding 
        sections of this subpart, over
            ``(2) the tentative minimum tax for the taxable year.
If the credit under subsection (a) exceeds the limitation of the 
preceding sentence, such excess shall be added to the credit allowable 
under subsection (a) for the succeeding taxable year.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart B of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 30A the following new 
item:

        ``Sec. 30B. Contributions to school districts in educational 
                            empowerment zones.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2003.

SEC. 4. TEACHER LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.

    Part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended 
by inserting after section 428K (20 U.S.C. 1078-11) the following new 
section:

``SEC. 428L. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHERS.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to encourage more 
individuals to enter and stay in the field of teaching mathematics, 
science, and related fields.
    ``(b) Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
        of assuming the obligation to repay, pursuant to subsection 
        (c), a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under this part or 
        part D (excluding loans made under sections 428B and 428C or 
        comparable loans made under Part D) for any new borrower after 
October 12, 1998, who--
                    ``(A) has been employed as a full-time teacher for 
                3 consecutive complete school years in a school that is 
                located in an educational empowerment zone, as such 
                term is defined in section 1400E of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1986;
                    ``(B) is a fully qualified teacher; and
                    ``C) is not in default on a loan for which the 
                borrower seeks forgiveness.
            ``(2) Award basis; priority.--
                    ``(A) Award basis.--Subject to subparagraph (B), 
                loan repayment under this section shall be on a first-
                come, first-served basis and subject to the 
                availability of appropriations.
                    ``(B) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority 
                in providing loan repayment under this section for a 
                fiscal year to student borrowers who received loan 
                repayment under this section for the preceding fiscal 
                year.
            ``(3) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to 
        prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the 
        provisions of this section.
    ``(c) Loan Repayment.--
            ``(1) Eligible amount.--The amount the Secretary may repay 
        on behalf of any individual under this section shall not 
        exceed--
                    ``(A) 80 percent of the sum of the principal 
                amounts outstanding of the individual's qualifying 
                loans at the end of 3 consecutive complete school years 
                of service described in subsection (b)(1)(A);
                    ``(B) an additional 10 percent of such sum at the 
                end of each of the next 2 consecutive complete school 
                years of such service; and
                    ``(C) a total of more than $10,000.
            ``(2) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
        construed to authorize the refunding of any repayment of a loan 
        made under this part or part D.
            ``(3) Interest.--If a portion of a loan is repaid by the 
        Secretary under this section for any year, the proportionate 
        amount of interest on such loan which accrues for such year 
        shall be repaid by the Secretary.
            ``(4) Double benefits prohibited.--No borrower may, for the 
        same service, receive a benefit under both this section and 
        subtitle D of title I of the National and Community Service Act 
        of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12601 et seq.). No borrower may receive a 
        reduction of loan obligations under both this section and 
        section 428J or 460.
    ``(d) Repayment to Eligible Lenders.--The Secretary shall pay to 
each eligible lender or holder for each fiscal year an amount equal to 
the aggregate amount of loans which are subject to repayment pursuant 
to this section for such year.
    ``(e) Application for Repayment.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible individual desiring loan 
        repayment under this section shall submit a complete and 
        accurate application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
            ``(2) Conditions.--An eligible individual may apply for 
        loan repayment under this section after completing the required 
        number of years of qualifying employment.
            ``(3) Fully qualified teachers.--An application for loan 
        repayment under this section shall include such information as 
        is necessary to demonstrate that the applicant--
                    ``(A) if teaching in a public elementary or 
                secondary school (other than as a teacher in a public 
                charter school), has obtained State certification as a 
                teacher (including certification obtained through 
                alternative routes to certification) or passed the 
                State teacher licensing exam and holds a license to 
                teach in such State; and
                    ``(B) if teaching in--
                            ``(i) an elementary school, holds a 
                        bachelor's degree and demonstrates knowledge 
                        and teaching skills in reading, writing, 
                        mathematics, science, and other areas of the 
                        elementary school curriculum; or
                            ``(ii) a middle or secondary school, holds 
                        a bachelor's degree and demonstrates a high 
                        level of competency in all subject areas in 
                        which he or she teaches through--
                                    ``(I) a high level of performance 
                                on a rigorous State or local academic 
                                subject areas test; or
                                    ``(II) completion of an academic 
                                major in each of the subject areas in 
                                which he or she provides instruction.
    ``(f) Evaluation.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct, by grant or 
        contract, an independent national evaluation of the impact of 
        the program assisted under this section.
            ``(2) Competitive basis.--The grant or contract described 
        in subsection (b) shall be awarded on a competitive basis.
            ``(3) Contents.--The evaluation described in this 
        subsection shall--
                    ``(A) determine the number of individuals who were 
                encouraged by the program assisted under this section 
                to pursue teaching careers;
                    ``(B) determine the number of individuals who 
                remain employed in teaching mathematics, science, or 
                related fields as a result of participation in the 
                program;
                    ``(C) identify the barriers to the effectiveness of 
                the program;
                    ``(D) assess the cost-effectiveness of the program; 
                and
                    ``(E) identify the number of years each individual 
                participates in the program.
            ``(4) Interim and final evaluation reports.--The Secretary 
        shall prepare and submit to the President and the Congress such 
        interim reports regarding the evaluation described in this 
        subsection as the Secretary deems appropriate, and shall 
        prepare and so submit a final report regarding the evaluation 
        by January 1, 2006''.

A: Educational Empowerment Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for qualified educational empowerment zone contributions. Allows the designation of up to 30 such zones. Bases designations on the degree of poverty.Establishes a teacher loan forgiveness program for mathematics and science teachers.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Planning for American Energy Act of 
2012''.

SEC. 2. ONSHORE DOMESTIC ENERGY PRODUCTION STRATEGIC PLAN.

    (a) In General.--The Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is 
amended by redesignating section 44 as section 45, and by inserting 
after section 43 the following:

``SEC. 44. QUADRENNIAL STRATEGIC FEDERAL ONSHORE ENERGY PRODUCTION 
              STRATEGY.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this 
        section referred to as `Secretary'), in consultation with the 
        Secretary of Agriculture with regard to lands administered by 
        the Forest Service, shall develop and publish every 4 years a 
        Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy Production Strategy. This 
        Strategy shall direct Federal land energy development and 
        department resource allocation in order to promote the energy 
        security of the United States.
            ``(2) In developing this Strategy, the Secretary shall 
        consult with the Administrator of the Energy Information 
        Administration on the projected energy demands of the United 
        States for the next 30-year period, and how energy derived from 
        Federal onshore lands can put the United States on a trajectory 
        to meet that demand during the next 4-year period. The 
        Secretary shall consider how Federal lands will contribute to 
        ensuring national energy security, with a goal for increasing 
        energy independence and production, during the next 4-year 
        period.
            ``(3) The Secretary shall determine a domestic strategic 
        production objective for the development of energy resources 
        from Federal onshore lands. Such objective shall be--
                    ``(A) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
                scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
                production of oil and natural gas from the Federal 
                onshore mineral estate, with a focus on lands held by 
                the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service;
                    ``(B) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
                scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
                coal production from Federal lands;
                    ``(C) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
                scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
                production of strategic and critical energy minerals 
                from the Federal onshore mineral estate;
                    ``(D) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
                scientific data, of the expected increase in megawatts 
                for electricity production from each of the following 
                sources: wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, and 
                geothermal energy produced on Federal lands 
                administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the 
                Forest Service;
                    ``(E) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
                scientific data, of the expected increase in 
                unconventional energy production, such as oil shale; 
                and
                    ``(F) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
                scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
                production of oil, natural gas, coal, and other 
                renewable sources from tribal lands for any federally 
                recognized Indian tribe that elects to participate in 
                facilitating energy production on its lands.
            ``(4) The Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of 
        the Energy Information Administration regarding the methodology 
        used to arrive at its estimates for purposes of this section.
            ``(5) The Secretary has the authority to expand the energy 
        development plan to include other energy production technology 
        sources or advancements in energy on Federal lands.
    ``(b) Tribal Objectives.--It is the sense of Congress that 
federally recognized Indian tribes may elect to set their own 
production objectives as part of the Strategy under this section. The 
Secretary shall work in cooperation with any federally recognized 
Indian tribe that elects to participate in achieving its own strategic 
energy objectives designated under this subsection.
    ``(c) Execution of the Strategy.--The relevant Secretary shall have 
all necessary authority to make determinations regarding which 
additional lands will be made available in order to meet the production 
objectives established by strategies under this section. The Secretary 
shall also take all necessary actions to achieve these production 
objectives unless the President determines that it is not in the 
national security and economic interests of the United States to 
increase Federal domestic energy production and to further decrease 
dependence upon foreign sources of energy. In administering this 
section, the relevant Secretary shall only consider leasing Federal 
lands available for leasing at the time the lease sale occurs.
    ``(d) State, Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, Local Government, 
and Public Input.--In developing each strategy, the Secretary shall 
solicit the input of affected States, federally recognized Indian 
tribes, local governments, and the public.
    ``(e) Reporting.--The Secretary shall report annually to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate on the progress 
of meeting the production goals set forth in the strategy. The 
Secretary shall identify in the report projections for production and 
capacity installations and any problems with leasing, permitting, 
siting, or production that will prevent meeting the goal. In addition, 
the Secretary shall make suggestions to help meet any shortfalls in 
meeting the production goals.
    ``(f) Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.--Not later than 
12 months after the date of enactment of this section, in accordance 
with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the Secretary shall complete a programmatic 
environmental impact statement. This programmatic environmental impact 
statement will be deemed sufficient to comply with all requirements 
under that Act for all necessary resource management and land use plans 
associated with the implementation of the strategy.
    ``(g) Congressional Review.--At least 60 days prior to publishing a 
proposed strategy under this section, the Secretary shall submit it to 
the President and the Congress, together with any comments received 
from States, federally recognized Indian tribes, and local governments. 
Such submission shall indicate why any specific recommendation of a 
State, federally recognized Indian tribe, or local government was not 
accepted.''.
    (b) First Quadrennial Strategy.--Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
submit to Congress the first Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy 
Production Strategy under the amendment made by subsection (a).

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``strategic and critical energy 
minerals'' means those that are necessary for the Nation's energy 
infrastructure including pipelines, refining capacity, electrical power 
generation and transmission, and renewable energy production and those 
that are necessary to support domestic manufacturing, including but not 
limited to, materials used in energy generation, production, and 
transportation.

A:
Planning for American Energy Act of 2012 - Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary) and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to publish every four years a Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy Production Strategy to direct federal land energy development and department resource allocation in order to promote the energy security of the United States.

Instructs the Secretary to consult with the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration on the projected energy demands of the United States for the next 30 years and on how energy derived from federal onshore lands can put the United States on a trajectory that meets such demand during the next 4 years, with a goal for increasing energy independence and production.

Requires the Secretary to determine a domestic strategic production objective for the development of energy resources from such lands.

Expresses the sense of Congress that federally recognized Indian tribes may elect to set their own production objectives as part of the Strategy.

Grants the relevant Secretary all necessary authority to make determinations regarding which additional federal lands available for leasing at the time the lease sale occurs will be available to meet the production objectives established by the strategies. Directs the Secretary to also take all necessary actions to achieve such objectives unless the President determines that it is not in U.S. national security and economic interests to increase federal domestic energy production and to further decrease dependence upon foreign energy sources.

Requires the Secretary, within 12 months of this Act's enactment, to complete a programmatic environmental impact statement in accordance with certain requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Deems such statement sufficient to be in compliance with NEPA requirements for all necessary resource management and land use plans associated with implementation of the Strategy.

Requires the Secretary to submit to: (1) the President and Congress, each proposed strategy, together with comments received from the affected states, federally recognized tribes, and local governments prior to publishing it; and (2) Congress the first Strategy within 18 months of enactment.
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