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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Teacher and Nurse Support Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the National Center for Education 
        Statistics, over the next 10 years, the United States will need 
        more than 2,000,000 new teachers to replace the teachers who 
        are retiring or leaving the classroom for other careers.
            (2) The Hart-Rudman National Security Report on education 
        recommended that the President direct the Department of 
        Education to work with the States to devise a comprehensive 
        plan to avert a looming shortage of high-quality teachers.
            (3) According to the National Center for Education 
        Statistics, 20 percent of all new teachers leave the teaching 
        profession within 3 years. Providing loan forgiveness or loan 
        cancellation is one step that would help retain high-quality 
        teachers in schools that need teachers.
            (4) The American Hospital Association has reported more 
        than 118,000 unfilled registered nurse positions in hospitals 
        in the United States. Additionally, the National Commission on 
        Nursing Workforce for Long-Term Care released a report in May, 
        2005, stating that there are nearly 100,000 vacant nursing 
        positions in long-term care facilities on any given day, and 
        the nurse turnover rate exceeds 50 percent. The shortage is 
        costing long-term care facilities an estimated $4 billion a 
        year in recruitment and training expenses.
            (5) College loans are more of a burden than ever for 
        students and families. According to a recent United States 
        Public Interest Research Group report, average student loan 
        debt almost doubled from $9,200 in 1992-1993 to $16,928 in 
        1999-2000.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to improve access to, and 
the delivery of, high-quality educational and health services 
throughout the United States by reducing the shortage of qualified 
teachers and nurses.

SEC. 3. LOAN FORGIVENESS.

    (a) Loan Forgiveness.--Section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 428J. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACHERS AND NURSES.

    ``(a) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to 
encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching and nursing 
professions.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
        to forgive, in accordance with this section, the student loan 
        debt of any borrower who has one or more loans described under 
        paragraph (2) made on or after October 1, 1998, and who--
                    ``(A) has been employed--
                            ``(i) as a full-time teacher--
                                    ``(I) in a school that qualifies 
                                under section 465(a)(2)(A) for loan 
                                cancellation for Perkins loan 
                                recipients who teach in those schools;
                                    ``(II) if employed as a secondary 
                                school teacher, is teaching a subject 
                                area that is relevant to the borrower's 
                                academic major as certified by the 
                                chief administrative officer of the 
                                public or nonprofit private secondary 
                                school in which the borrower is 
                                employed; and
                                    ``(III) if employed as an 
                                elementary school teacher, has 
                                demonstrated, as certified by the chief 
                                administrative officer of the public or 
                                nonprofit private elementary school in 
                                which the borrower is employed, 
                                knowledge and teaching skills in 
                                reading, writing, mathematics, and 
                                other areas of the elementary school 
                                curriculum; or
                            ``(ii) as a full-time eligible nurse--
                                    ``(I) in a clinical setting; or
                                    ``(II) as a member of the nursing 
                                faculty at an accredited school of 
                                nursing (as those terms are defined in 
                                section 801 of the Public Health 
                                Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)); and
                    ``(B) is not in default on a loan for which the 
                borrower seeks forgiveness.
            ``(2) Method of loan forgiveness.--To provide the loan 
        forgiveness authorized in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, 
        subject to paragraph (3), carry out a program--
                    ``(A) through the holder of the loan, to assume the 
                obligation to repay a qualified loan amount (as 
                determined under subsection (c)) for a loan made under 
                section 428 or 428H of this part; and
                    ``(B) to cancel a qualified loan amount (as so 
                determined) for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan or a 
                Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan made under 
                part D of this title;
            ``(3) Treatment of consolidation loans.--A loan amount for 
        a loan made under section 428C or section 455(g) may be a 
        qualified loan amount for the purposes of paragraph (2) only to 
        the extent that such loan amount was used to repay a loan made 
        under section 428 or 428H, a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, or a 
        Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan for a borrower who 
        meets the requirements of paragraph (1), as determined in 
        accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
    ``(c) Qualified Loan Amount.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Aggregate amount.--The Secretary shall, in 
                installments in accordance with subparagraph (B), 
                forgive under this section not more than $17,500 in the 
                aggregate of the student loan obligation of a borrower.
                    ``(B) Annual installments.--The Secretary shall 
                forgive the student loan obligation of a borrower in 
                annual installments after each of 5 years of service 
                described in clause (i) or (ii) of subsection 
                (b)(1)(A)(i) in an amount not to exceed the lesser of 
                the remaining outstanding obligation of the borrower 
                or--
                            ``(i) $2,000 at the completion of the first 
                        year of such service;
                            ``(ii) $2,500 at the completion of the 
                        second year of such service;
                            ``(iii) $3,500 at the completion of the 
                        third year of such service;
                            ``(iv) $4,500 at the completion of the 
                        fourth year of such service; and
                            ``(v) $5,000 at the completion of the fifth 
                        year of such service.
            ``(2) Forbearance on qualified loan amount.--A holder of a 
        loan on which a borrower is seeking forgiveness under this 
        section--
                    ``(A) shall grant forbearance, at the request of 
                the borrower, in annual increments for each of the 
                years of qualifying service if the holder believes, at 
                the time of the borrower's annual request, that the 
                amount expected to be forgiven under this section at 
                the completion of the period of qualifying service will 
                satisfy the anticipated remaining outstanding balance 
                on the loan; and
                    ``(B) may offer other forbearance options to the 
                borrower.
    ``(d) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to issue such 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
section.
    ``(e) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan.
    ``(f) List of Schools.--If the list of schools in which a teacher 
may perform service pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) is not 
available before May 1 of any year, the Secretary may use the list for 
the year preceding the year for which the determination is made to make 
the service determination.
    ``(g) Additional Eligibility Provisions.--
            ``(1) Continued eligibility for teachers.--Any teacher who 
        performs service in a school that--
                    ``(A) meets the requirements of subsection 
                (b)(1)(A)(i)(I) in any year during such service; and
                    ``(B) in a subsequent year fails to meet the 
                requirements of that subsection,
        may continue to teach in the school and shall be eligible for 
        loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection (b).
            ``(2) Prevention of double benefits.--No borrower may, for 
        the same service, receive a benefit under both this subsection 
        and--
                    ``(A) subtitle D of title I of the National and 
                Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et 
                seq.); or
                    ``(B) section 846 of the Public Health Service Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 297n).
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible nurse.--The term `eligible nurse' means a 
        nurse who meets all of the following:
                    ``(A) The nurse graduated from--
                            ``(i) an accredited school of nursing (as 
                        those terms are defined in section 801 of the 
                        Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296));
                            ``(ii) a nursing center; or
                            ``(iii) an academic health center that 
                        provides nurse training.
                    ``(B) The nurse holds a valid and unrestricted 
                license to practice nursing in the State in which the 
                nurse practices in a clinical setting.
                    ``(C) The nurse holds 1 or more of the following:
                            ``(i) A graduate degree in nursing or 
                        equivalent degree.
                            ``(ii) A nursing degree from a collegiate 
                        school of nursing (as defined in section 801 of 
                        the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)).
                            ``(iii) A nursing degree from an associate 
                        degree school of nursing (as defined in section 
                        801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                        296)).
                            ``(iv) A nursing degree from a diploma 
                        school of nursing (as defined in section 801 of 
                        the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)).
            ``(2) Year.--The term `year', where applied to service as a 
        teacher (or service as a member of the nursing faculty at an 
        accredited school of nursing (as those terms are defined in 
        section 801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296))), 
        means an academic year as defined by the Secretary.''.
    (b) Repeal of Loan Cancellation Provision.--Section 460 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) is repealed.

SEC. 4. PHASE OUT OF CURRENT PROGRAM.

    An individual who began the required period of teaching described 
in section 428J(b)(1) or 460(b)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10 and 1087j) as such sections were in effect on 
the day before the date of enactment of this Act, shall--
            (1) be eligible to receive loan forgiveness or loan 
        cancellation in the amount described in, and in accordance with 
        the requirements of, such sections as in effect on the day 
        before the date of enactment of this Act; and
            (2) not be eligible to receive loan forgiveness under 
        section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as in effect 
        on the date of enactment of this Act.
Teacher and Nurse Support Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase to a maximum of $17,500 the aggregate student loan obligation eligible for forgiveness or cancellation under the Federal Family Education Loan or Direct Loan programs for teachers who serve full-time in certain elementary or secondary schools that enroll a high proportion of disadvantaged students.

Includes, under these student loan forgiveness and cancellation programs, nurses who serve in a clinical setting or as a member of the nursing faculty at an accredited school of nursing. Directs the Secretary of Education to repay such loan obligation in annual installments up to specified maximum amounts after each of five years of such service.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Weather Modification Research and 
Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement a 
comprehensive and coordinated national weather modification policy and 
a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather 
modification research and development.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Weather 
        Modification Advisory and Research Board.
            (2) Executive director.--The term ``Executive Director'' 
        means the Executive Director of the Weather Modification 
        Advisory and Research Board.
            (3) Research and development.--The term ``research and 
        development'' means theoretical analysis, exploration, 
        experimentation, and the extension of investigative findings 
        and theories of scientific or technical nature into practical 
        application for experimental and demonstration purposes, 
        including the experimental production and testing of models, 
        devices, equipment, materials, and processes.
            (4) Weather modification.--The term ``weather 
        modification'' means changing or controlling, or attempting to 
        change or control, by artificial methods the natural 
        development of atmospheric cloud forms or precipitation forms 
        which occur in the troposphere.

SEC. 4. WEATHER MODIFICATION ADVISORY AND RESEARCH BOARD ESTABLISHED.

    (a) In General.--There is established in the Department of Commerce 
the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Board shall consist of 11 members 
        appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, of whom--
                    (A) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                American Meteorological Society;
                    (B) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                American Society of Civil Engineers;
                    (C) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                National Academy of Sciences;
                    (D) at least 1 shall be a representative of the 
                National Center for Atmospheric Research of the 
                National Science Foundation;
                    (E) at least 2 shall be representatives of the 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the 
                Department of Commerce;
                    (F) at least 1 shall be a representative of 
                institutions of higher education or research 
                institutes; and
                    (G) at least 1 shall be a representative of a State 
                that is currently supporting operational weather 
                modification projects.
            (2) Tenure.--A member of the Board serves at the pleasure 
        of the Secretary of Commerce.
            (3) Vacancies.--Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled in 
        the same manner as the original appointment.
    (b) Advisory Committees.--The Board may establish advisory 
committees to advise the Board and to make recommendations to the Board 
concerning legislation, policies, administration, research, and other 
matters.
    (c) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
which all members of the Board have been appointed, the Board shall 
hold its first meeting.
    (d) Meetings.--The Board shall meet at the call of the Chair.
    (e) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Board shall 
constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
    (f) Chair and Vice Chair.--The Board shall select a Chair and Vice 
Chair from among its members.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

    (a) Promotion of Research and Development.--In order to assist in 
expanding the theoretical and practical knowledge of weather 
modification, the Board shall promote and fund research and 
development, studies, and investigations with respect to--
            (1) improved forecast and decisionmaking technologies for 
        weather modification operations, including tailored computer 
        workstations and software and new observation systems with 
        remote sensors; and
            (2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather 
        modification, both purposeful (including cloud-seeding 
        operations) and inadvertent (including downwind effects and 
        anthropogenic effects).
    (b) Financial Assistance.--Unless the use of the money is 
restricted or subject to any limitations provided by law, the Board 
shall use amounts in the Weather Modification Research and Development 
Fund--
            (1) to pay its expenses in the administration of this Act; 
        and
            (2) to provide for research and development with respect to 
        weather modifications by grants to, or contracts or cooperative 
        arrangements with, public or private agencies.
    (c) Report.--The Board shall submit to the Secretary of Commerce 
biennially a report on its findings and research results.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

    (a) Studies, Investigations, and Hearings.--The Board may make any 
studies or investigations, obtain any information, and hold any 
hearings necessary or proper to administer or enforce this Act or any 
rules or orders issued under this Act.
    (b) Personnel.--The Board may employ, as provided for in 
appropriations Acts, an Executive Director and other support staff 
necessary to perform duties and functions under this Act.
    (c) Cooperation With Other Agencies.--The Board may cooperate with 
public or private agencies to promote the purposes of this Act.
    (d) Cooperative Agreements.--The Board may enter into cooperative 
agreements with the head of any department or agency of the United 
States, an appropriate official of any State or political subdivision 
of a State, or an appropriate official of any private or public agency 
or organization for conducting weather modification activities or 
cloud-seeding operations.
    (e) Conduct and Contracts for Research and Development.--The 
Executive Director, with the approval of the Board, may conduct and may 
contract for research and development activities relating to the 
purpose described in section 2.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH THE WEATHER MODIFICATION OPERATIONS AND 
              RESEARCH BOARD.

    The heads of the departments and agencies of the United States and 
the heads of any other public or private agencies and institutions that 
receive research funds from the United States shall, to the extent 
possible, give full support and cooperation to the Board and to 
initiate independent research and development programs that address 
weather modifications.

SEC. 8. FUNDING.

    (a) In General.--There is established within the Treasury of the 
United States the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund, 
which shall consist of amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) 
or received by the Board under subsection (c).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Board for the purposes of carrying out this Act 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2015. Any sums 
appropriated under this subsection shall remain available, without 
fiscal year limitation, until expended.
    (c) Gifts.--The Board may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.
Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005 - Establishes in the Department of Commerce the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board to promote and fund research and development (R&D), studies, and investigations with respect to: (1) improved forecast and decisionmaking technologies for weather modification operations, including tailored computer workstations and software and new observation systems with remote sensors; and (2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather modification, both purposeful (including cloud-seeding operations) and inadvertent (including downwind effects and anthropogenic effects).

Establishes within the U.S. Treasury the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund. Directs the Board, unless the use of the money is restricted or subject to any limitations provided by law, to use amounts in the Fund to: (1) pay its expenses in the administration of this Act; and (2) provide for R&D with respect to weather modifications by grants to, or contracts or cooperative arrangements with, public or private agencies.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pension Interest Rate Relief Act of 
2002''.

SEC. 2. INTEREST RATE RANGE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.--
            (1) Special rule.--Clause (i) of section 412(l)(7)(C) of 
        the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to interest rate) 
        is amended by adding at the end the following new subclause:
                                    ``(III) Special rule for 2001 
                                through 2004.--For a plan year 
                                beginning in 2001, 2002, 2003 or 2004, 
                                notwithstanding subclause (I), in the 
                                case that the rate of interest used 
                                under subsection (b)(5) exceeds the 
                                highest rate permitted under subclause 
                                (I), the rate of interest used to 
                                determine current liability under this 
                                subsection may exceed the rate of 
                                interest otherwise permitted under 
                                subclause (I); except that such rate of 
                                interest shall not exceed 120 percent 
                                of the weighted average referred to in 
                                subsection (b)(5)(B)(ii).''
            (2) Quarterly contributions.--Subsection (m) of section 412 
        of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(7) Special rule for 2005.--In any case in which the 
        interest rate used to determine current liability is determined 
        under subsection (l)(7)(C)(i)(III) for purposes of applying 
        paragraphs (1) and (4)(B)(ii) for plan years beginning in 2005, 
        the current liability for the preceding plan year shall be 
        redetermined using 105 percent as the specified percentage 
        determined under subsection (l)(7)(C)(i)(II).''
    (b) Amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974.--
            (1) Special rule.--Clause (i) of section 302(d)(7)(C) of 
        the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 
        1082(d)(7)(C)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
        new subclause:
                                    ``(III) Special rule for 2001 
                                through 2004.--For a plan year 
                                beginning in 2001, 2002, 2003 or 2004, 
                                notwithstanding subclause (I), in the 
                                case that the rate of interest used 
                                under subsection (b)(5) exceeds the 
                                highest rate permitted under subclause 
                                (I), the rate of interest used to 
                                determine current liability under this 
                                subsection may exceed the rate of 
                                interest otherwise permitted under 
                                subclause (I); except that such rate of 
                                interest shall not exceed 120 percent 
                                of the weighted average referred to in 
                                subsection (b)(5)(B)(ii).''
            (2) Quarterly contributions.--Subsection (e) of section 302 
        of such Act (29 U.S.C. 1082) is amended by adding at the end 
        the following new paragraph:
            ``(7) Special rule for 2005.--In any case in which the 
        interest rate used to determine current liability is determined 
        under subsection (d)(7)(C)(i)(III) for purposes of applying 
        paragraphs (1) and (4)(B)(ii) for plan years beginning in 2005, 
        the current liability for the preceding plan year shall be 
        redetermined using 105 percent as the specified percentage 
        determined under subsection (d)(7)(C)(i)(II).''
    (c) PBGC.--Clause (iii) of section 4006(a)(3)(E) of the Employee 
Retirement Income Security of Act 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1306(a)(3)(E)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subclause:
    ``(IV) In the case of plan years beginning after December 31, 2001, 
and before January 1, 2005, subclause (II) shall be applied by 
substituting `100 percent' for `85 percent' and by substituting `115 
percent' for `100 percent'. Subclause (III) shall be applied for such 
years without regard to the preceding sentence. Any reference to this 
clause by any other sections or subsections (other than sections 4010, 
4011 and 4043) shall be treated as a reference to this clause without 
regard to this subclause.''
    (d) Amendments to Retirement Protection Act of 1994.--
            (1) Transition rule made permanent.--Paragraph (1) of 
        section 769(c) of the Retirement Protection Act of 1994 is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``transition'' each place it 
                appears in the heading and the text, and
                    (B) by striking ``for any plan year beginning after 
                1996 and before 2010''.
            (2) Special rules.--Paragraph (2) of section 769(c) of the 
        Retirement Protection Act of 1994 is amended to read as 
        follows:
            ``(2) Special rules.--The rules described in this paragraph 
        are as follows:
                    ``(A) For purposes of section 412(l)(9)(A) of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and section 302(d)(9)(A) 
                of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 
                the funded current liability percentage for any plan 
                year shall be treated as not less than 90 percent.
                    ``(B) For purposes of section 412(m) of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and section 302(e)(9) of 
                the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 
                the funded current liability percentage for any plan 
                year shall be treated as not less than 100 percent.
                    ``(C) For purposes of determining unfunded vested 
                benefits under section 4006(a)(3)(E)(iii) of the 
                Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the 
                mortality table shall be the mortality table used by 
                the plan.''.
            (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
        shall apply to plan years beginning after December 31, 2001.

Pension Interest Rate Relief Act of 2002 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 by increasing, for plan years beginning 2001 through 2004, the permissible interest rate range used to determine additional funding requirements for certain benefit plans which are not multiemployer plans.Sets forth a special rule regarding the interest rate used to determine liability for plan years beginning in 2005.Amends the Retirement Protection Act of 1994 to establish special rules relating to funding liability percentages and the mortality table to be used for purposes of determining unfunded vested benefits.