TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Twice since 1989, the northwestern coast of Maui, 
        Hawaii, has been plagued with massive blooms of the green alga, 
        Cladorphora sericea. Blooms of the red alga, Hypnea 
        musciformis, have also occurred in the area and in the Kihei 
        area.
            (2) The algal blooms have destroyed corals and other reef-
        building organisms, and have washed up on beaches and severely 
        impeded the recreational use of affected coastal areas.
            (3) The algal blooms are particularly detrimental to the 
        natural ecological balance of the near-shore reef environment.
            (4) Although the specific causes of the algal blooms are 
        uncertain, algal growth is stimulated in a proportional manner 
        by concentrations of chemicals such as fertilizers and 
        insecticides, which enter the ocean through freshwater runoff.
            (5) The Department of Health of the State of Hawaii has 
        indicated that the department does not have the resources at 
        this time to determine the cause of the algal blooms.
            (6) Extensive research will be required to determine the 
        factors that contribute to algal growth.
            (7) Potential sources of nutrients that may contribute to 
        algal growth include the near-shore disposal of sewage in 
        injection wells from the Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant, 
        surface runoff from agricultural lands and urban resort areas, 
        and subsurface point sources in the areas.
            (8) The long-term environmental impacts of the algal blooms 
        are unknown, but in the short term, reefs exposed to the algae 
        are being destroyed and the deterioration of the coral has 
        detrimental effects on fish and other wildlife that depend on 
        the reefs for survival.
            (9) The algal blooms are generating negative economic 
        impacts as well as negative biological impacts, as additional 
        reports indicate that the algae are decreasing the intake of 
        fish caught by local fishermen in the affected marine waters.
            (10) The Maui Algae Task Force is comprised of community 
        environmental activists and has been assembled to address the 
        problem of algal blooms.
            (11) The Maui Algae Task Force hopes to work in cooperation 
        with the Department of Health of the State of Hawaii and the 
        Environmental Protection Agency to identify and eradicate the 
        causes of the algal blooms.

SEC. 2. STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Administrator'') 
shall conduct a study to--
            (1) determine the causes of recent algal blooms off the 
        northwestern coast of Maui, Hawaii; and
            (2) research alternatives for the improved management of 
        chemicals present in wastewater treatment and fresh water 
        runoff.
    (b) Study Requirements.--In carrying out the study under this 
section, the Administrator shall--
            (1) survey and monitor--
                    (A) seaweed populations and animals for which the 
                seaweed is a food source;
                    (B) surface water runoff sediments in the study 
                area; and
                    (C) inputs into the study area from subsurface 
                point sources, including any such inputs from the 
                Lahaina wastewater treatment plant; and
            (2) study the responses of--
                    (A) the seaweed populations referred to in 
                paragraph (1)(A) to different concentrations of 
                nutrients; and
                    (B) the animals referred to in paragraph (1)(A) to 
                pesticides and other biological toxins.
    (c) Equipment; Grants.--
            (1) Acquisition of equipment.--In carrying out the study 
        under this section, the Administrator is authorized to acquire 
        such monitoring and testing equipment as the Administrator 
        determines necessary.
            (2) Grants.--In carrying out the study under this section, 
        the Administrator is authorized to establish a grant program to 
        provide grants to eligible entities that submit approved 
        applications to the Administrator. The following entities may 
        submit an application to conduct study activities under this 
        section:
                    (A) The Department of Health of the State of 
                Hawaii.
                    (B) The Maui Algae Task Force.
                    (C) Appropriate Federal, State, or county 
                departments or agencies.
                    (D) Any other entity that the Administrator 
                determines to be appropriate.
    (d) Demonstration Projects.--In carrying out the study under this 
section, the Administrator is authorized to establish demonstration 
projects to identify and implement best management practices for the 
control of nonpoint source pollution from erosion and agricultural 
runoff.
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) Interim report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
        Congress a report that includes interim results of the study 
        conducted under this section, and such recommendations as the 
        Administrator determines to be appropriate.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than January 31, 1996, the 
        Administrator shall submit to Congress a final report that 
        summarizes the results of the study conducted under this 
        section and includes such recommendations as the Administrator 
        determines to be appropriate.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out this 
section $500,000 for each of fiscal years 1994 and 1995.

SOLUTION: Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to study and report to the Congress on the causes of recent algal blooms off the northwestern coast of Maui, Hawaii, and to research alternatives for the improved management of chemicals present in wastewater treatment and fresh water runoff. 
Authorizes the Administrator to establish:  (1) a grant program to enable eligible entities to conduct study activities; and (2) demonstration projects to implement best management practices for the control of nonpoint source pollution from erosion and agricultural runoff. 
Authorizes appropriations.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Activities Inventory Reform 
Act of 1998''.
SEC. 2. ANNUAL LISTS OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES NOT INHERENTLY 
GOVERNMENTAL IN NATURE.
    (a) Lists Required.--Not later than the end of the third quarter of 
each fiscal year, the head of each executive agency shall submit to the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget a list of activities 
performed by Federal Government sources for the executive agency that, 
in the judgment of the head of the executive agency, are not inherently 
governmental functions. The entry for an activity on the list shall 
include the following:
        (1) The fiscal year for which the activity first appeared on a 
    list prepared under this section.
        (2) The number of full-time employees (or its equivalent) that 
    are necessary for the performance of the activity by a Federal 
    Government source.
        (3) The name of a Federal Government employee responsible for 
    the activity from whom additional information about the activity 
    may be obtained.
    (b) OMB Review and Consultation.--The Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall review the executive agency's list for a 
fiscal year and consult with the head of the executive agency regarding 
the content of the final list for that fiscal year.
    (c) Public Availability of Lists.--
        (1) Publication.--Upon the completion of the review and 
    consultation regarding a list of an executive agency--
            (A) the head of the executive agency shall promptly 
        transmit a copy of the list to Congress and make the list 
        available to the public; and
            (B) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
        shall promptly publish in the Federal Register a notice that 
        the list is available to the public.
        (2) Changes.--If the list changes after the publication of the 
    notice as a result of the resolution of a challenge under section 
    3, the head of the executive agency shall promptly--
            (A) make each such change available to the public and 
        transmit a copy of the change to Congress; and
            (B) publish in the Federal Register a notice that the 
        change is available to the public.
    (d) Competition Required.--Within a reasonable time after the date 
on which a notice of the public availability of a list is published 
under subsection (c), the head of the executive agency concerned shall 
review the activities on the list. Each time that the head of the 
executive agency considers contracting with a private sector source for 
the performance of such an activity, the head of the executive agency 
shall use a competitive process to select the source (except as may 
otherwise be provided in a law other than this Act, an Executive order, 
regulations, or any executive branch circular setting forth 
requirements or guidance that is issued by competent executive 
authority). The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall 
issue guidance for the administration of this subsection.
    (e) Realistic and Fair Cost Comparisons.--For the purpose of 
determining whether to contract with a source in the private sector for 
the performance of an executive agency activity on the list on the 
basis of a comparison of the costs of procuring services from such a 
source with the costs of performing that activity by the executive 
agency, the head of the executive agency shall ensure that all costs 
(including the costs of quality assurance, technical monitoring of the 
performance of such function, liability insurance, employee retirement 
and disability benefits, and all other overhead costs) are considered 
and that the costs considered are realistic and fair.

SEC. 3. CHALLENGES TO THE LIST.

    (a) Challenge Authorized.--An interested party may submit to an 
executive agency a challenge of an omission of a particular activity 
from, or an inclusion of a particular activity on, a list for which a 
notice of public availability has been published under section 2.
    (b) Interested Party Defined.--For the purposes of this section, 
the term ``interested party'', with respect to an activity referred to 
in subsection (a), means the following:
        (1) A private sector source that--
            (A) is an actual or prospective offeror for any contract, 
        or other form of agreement, to perform the activity; and
            (B) has a direct economic interest in performing the 
        activity that would be adversely affected by a determination 
        not to procure the performance of the activity from a private 
        sector source.
        (2) A representative of any business or professional 
    association that includes within its membership private sector 
    sources referred to in paragraph (1).
        (3) An officer or employee of an organization within an 
    executive agency that is an actual or prospective offeror to 
    perform the activity.
        (4) The head of any labor organization referred to in section 
    7103(a)(4) of title 5, United States Code, that includes within its 
    membership officers or employees of an organization referred to in 
    paragraph (3).
    (c) Time for Submission.--A challenge to a list shall be submitted 
to the executive agency concerned within 30 days after the publication 
of the notice of the public availability of the list under section 2.
    (d) Initial Decision.--Within 28 days after an executive agency 
receives a challenge, an official designated by the head of the 
executive agency shall--
        (1) decide the challenge; and
        (2) transmit to the party submitting the challenge a written 
    notification of the decision together with a discussion of the 
    rationale for the decision and an explanation of the party's right 
    to appeal under subsection (e).
    (e) Appeal.--
        (1) Authorization of appeal.--An interested party may appeal an 
    adverse decision of the official to the head of the executive 
    agency within 10 days after receiving a notification of the 
    decision under subsection (d).
        (2) Decision on appeal.--Within 10 days after the head of an 
    executive agency receives an appeal of a decision under paragraph 
    (1), the head of the executive agency shall decide the appeal and 
    transmit to the party submitting the appeal a written notification 
    of the decision together with a discussion of the rationale for the 
    decision.

SEC. 4. APPLICABILITY.

    (a) Executive Agencies Covered.--Except as provided in subsection 
(b), this Act applies to the following executive agencies:
        (1) Executive department.--An executive department named in 
    section 101 of title 5, United States Code.
        (2) Military department.--A military department named in 
    section 102 of title 5, United States Code.
        (3) Independent establishment.--An independent establishment, 
    as defined in section 104 of title 5, United States Code.
    (b) Exceptions.--This Act does not apply to or with respect to the 
following:
        (1) General accounting office.--The General Accounting Office.
        (2) Government corporation.--A Government corporation or a 
    Government controlled corporation, as those terms are defined in 
    section 103 of title 5, United States Code.
        (3) Nonappropriated funds instrumentality.--A part of a 
    department or agency if all of the employees of that part of the 
    department or agency are employees referred to in section 2105(c) 
    of title 5, United States Code.
        (4) Certain depot-level maintenance and repair.--Depot-level 
    maintenance and repair of the Department of Defense (as defined in 
    section 2460 of title 10, United States Code).

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
        (1) Federal government source.--The term ``Federal Government 
    source'', with respect to performance of an activity, means any 
    organization within an executive agency that uses Federal 
    Government employees to perform the activity.
        (2) Inherently governmental function.--
            (A) Definition.--The term ``inherently governmental 
        function'' means a function that is so intimately related to 
        the public interest as to require performance by Federal 
        Government employees.
            (B) Functions included.--The term includes activities that 
        require either the exercise of discretion in applying Federal 
        Government authority or the making of value judgments in making 
        decisions for the Federal Government, including judgments 
        relating to monetary transactions and entitlements. An 
        inherently governmental function involves, among other things, 
        the interpretation and execution of the laws of the United 
        States so as--
                (i) to bind the United States to take or not to take 
            some action by contract, policy, regulation, authorization, 
            order, or otherwise;
                (ii) to determine, protect, and advance United States 
            economic, political, territorial, property, or other 
            interests by military or diplomatic action, civil or 
            criminal judicial proceedings, contract management, or 
            otherwise;
                (iii) to significantly affect the life, liberty, or 
            property of private persons;
                (iv) to commission, appoint, direct, or control 
            officers or employees of the United States; or
                (v) to exert ultimate control over the acquisition, 
            use, or disposition of the property, real or personal, 
            tangible or intangible, of the United States, including the 
            collection, control, or disbursement of appropriated and 
            other Federal funds.
            (C) Functions excluded.--The term does not normally 
        include--
                (i) gathering information for or providing advice, 
            opinions, recommendations, or ideas to Federal Government 
            officials; or
                (ii) any function that is primarily ministerial and 
            internal in nature (such as building security, mail 
            operations, operation of cafeterias, housekeeping, 
            facilities operations and maintenance, warehouse 
            operations, motor vehicle fleet management operations, or 
            other routine electrical or mechanical services).

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect on October 1, 1998.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.

SOLUTION: Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998 - Directs the head of each executive agency to submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, not later than the end of the third quarter of each fiscal year, a list of activities performed by Federal Government sources for the agency that, in the judgment of the head of the executive agency, are not inherently governmental functions. 
Requires:  (1) the Director to review the agency's list and consult with the agency head regarding the contents of the final list for the fiscal year; (2) the agency head to transmit a copy of the list to the Congress and make the list publicly available; (3) the Director to publish in the Federal Register a notice that the list is publicly available; and (4) the agency head to publish a notice regarding, make available to the public, and transmit to the Congress, any subsequent change to the list. 
Requires the agency head to:  (1) review the activities on the list within a reasonable time after such a notice of its availability is published; and (2) use a competitive process (with specified exceptions) and ensure that all costs are considered each time that he or she considers contracting with a private sector source for the performance of an activity on the list. 
(Sec. 3) Permits an interested party to submit to an agency a challenge of an omission of a particular activity from, or an inclusion of a particular activity on, a list for which a notice has been published.  Sets forth procedures governing filing challenges, agency decisions on challenges, appealing such decisions, and agency decisions on such appeals. 
(Sec. 4) Provides that this Act shall not apply to or with respect to:  (1) the General Accounting Office; (2) Government corporations and Government controlled corporations; (3) a part of a department or agency if all of the employees of that part are employees paid from nonappropriated funds of certain instrumentalities of the United States under the jurisdiction of the armed forces; and (4) depot-level maintenance and repair of the Department of Defense.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Education Tuition Support 
Act of 2007'' or the ``VETS Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) There is no more important cause than the defense of 
        the United States.
            (2) Since 2003, nearly 1,300,000 members of the Armed 
        Forces have served in Iraq or Afghanistan and over 420,000 
        members of the Armed Forces in the National Guard and Reserve 
        have been called to active duty.
            (3) The men and women of the Armed Forces put their lives 
        on hold, leave their families, jobs, and postsecondary 
        education in order to serve the United States, and do so with 
        distinction.
            (4) In 2005, 500,000 veterans claimed education benefits 
        from the Department of Veterans Affairs and approximately 
        47,000 of those veterans are members of the National Guard or 
        Reserve and recently returned from serving in the Armed Forces 
        in Iraq or Afghanistan.
            (5) Many members of the Armed Forces depend on various 
        forms of financial aid in addition to their Montgomery GI Bill 
        benefits to help fund their college education.
            (6) The 6 percent interest rate cap on all debts of members 
        of the Armed Forces called to active duty guaranteed by the 
        Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 501 et seq.) 
        has been interpreted narrowly by the Secretary of Education not 
        to apply to Federal student loans.
            (7) Members of the Armed Forces who return from deployment 
        overseas in the Armed Forces and who are unable to continue 
        immediately a program of education that they were forced to 
        discontinue because of such deployment are being forced to 
        begin making payments on their private students loans only 1 
        month after such return.
            (8) The transition from service in the Armed Forces in a 
        combat theater to a classroom is a difficult challenge and 
        should not be rushed merely to avoid paying back student loans.
            (9) As of the date of the enactment of this Act, colleges 
        are not required to make reasonable accommodations for students 
        who are called to active duty in the Armed Forces, such as 
        tuition reimbursement and relaxation of requirements for 
        reenrollment.
            (10) Members of the Armed Forces who return from deployment 
        overseas and attempt to reenroll in a program of education are 
        overwhelmed with bureaucracy.
            (11) Studies have shown that symptoms of post-traumatic 
        stress disorder (PTSD) and other non-apparent injuries may take 
        up to a year to manifest.
            (12) Members of the Armed Forces deserve to have at least a 
        full academic year to reintegrate into society before they are 
        required to begin paying back student loans.
            (13) Members of the Armed Forces who fight to protect the 
        United States deserve a Government that fights to protect them.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to assist members of the Armed Forces who return from a 
        deployment to transition from military service to civilian life 
        and to undertake programs of education they were forced to 
        discontinue because of such deployment;
            (2) to provide a 13-month transition period for such 
        members to reenroll in such a program of education and to begin 
        paying back student loans undertaken for such program of 
        education;
            (3) to institute a 6 percent interest rate cap on student 
        loans of a member of the Armed Forces while such member is 
        deployed on active duty; and
            (4) to require providers of programs of education to 
        provide reasonable accommodations to their students who are 
        members of the Armed Forces and who discontinue a program of 
        education because of a deployment.

SEC. 3. RELIEF FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES DURING 
              PERIOD OF MILITARY SERVICE.

    (a) In General.--Title VII of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act 
(50 U.S.C. App. 591 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 707. TUITION, REENROLLMENT, AND STUDENT LOAN RELIEF FOR 
              POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS CALLED TO MILITARY SERVICE.

    ``(a) Tuition and Reenrollment.--Whenever a servicemember is 
called, activated, or ordered to military service and withdraws or 
takes a leave of absence from the institution of higher education in 
which the servicemember is enrolled, the institution shall--
            ``(1) refund to such servicemember the tuition and fees 
        paid by such servicemember (other than from the proceeds of a 
        grant or scholarship) for the portion of the program of 
        education for which such servicemember did not receive academic 
        credit after such withdrawal or leave; and
            ``(2) provide such servicemember an opportunity to reenroll 
        with the same educational and academic status in such program 
        of education that the servicemember had when activated for 
        military service.
    ``(b) Deferment of Repayment of Loans.--Whenever a servicemember is 
called, activated, or ordered to military service and withdraws or 
takes a leave of absence from the institution of higher education in 
which the servicemember is enrolled, the following rules shall apply to 
a provider of students loans who has provided a student loan to such a 
servicemember that is not in repayment status on the date the period of 
military service begins:
            ``(1) If the servicemember reenrolls in the program of 
        education (or a comparable program) within 13 months following 
        the period of military service, the provider shall disregard 
        the entire period the program of education was discontinued in 
        determining the date on which repayment of the student loan is 
        to begin.
            ``(2) If the servicemember does not so reenroll, the 
        provider shall not require repayment of the student loan to 
        begin before the later of the last day of such 13-month period 
        or the date the repayment was to begin without regard to this 
        subsection.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `Federal financial aid program' means a 
        program providing loans made, insured, or guaranteed under part 
        B, D, or E of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1077 et seq., 1087a et seq., 1087aa et seq.).
            ``(2) The term `institution of higher education' means a 2-
        year or 4-year institution of higher education as defined in 
        section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1002).
            ``(3) The term `student loan' means any loan, whether 
        Federal, State, or private, to assist an individual to attend 
        an institution of higher education, including a loan made, 
        insured, or guaranteed under part B, D, or E of title IV of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1077 et seq., 1087a et 
        seq., 1087aa et seq.).''.
    (b) Exemption of Student Debts From Creditor Protection Based on 
Income Level.--Section 207(c) of the Servicemember's Civil Relief Act 
(50 U.S.C. App. 527(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ``This subsection shall not apply with respect to an 
obligation or liability that is incurred by a servicemember who, at the 
time the servicemember is called to military service, is a student 
enrolled within six months of activation at an institution of higher 
education on a full-time basis, as determined by that institution.''
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section (1)(b) of 
such Act is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``Sec. 707. Tuition, reenrollment, and student loan relief for 
                            postsecondary students called to military 
                            service.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect for periods of military service beginning after the date of the 
enactment of this section.

SOLUTION:
Veterans Education Tuition Support Act of 2007 or VETS Act of 2007 - Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to require an institution of higher education, whenever a servicemember is called, activated, or ordered to military service and therefore withdraws or takes a leave of absence from such institution, to: (1) refund to the servicemember tuition and other fees paid for the portion of the program of education for which the servicemember did not receive academic credit after such withdrawal or leave; and (2) provide the servicemember an opportunity to reenroll at the institution with the same educational and academic status that the servicemember had when ordered to military service.

Requires a provider of a student loan with respect to such a servicemember: (1) if the servicemember reenrolls in the program of education (or a comparable program) within 13 months following the period of military service, to disregard the entire period that the education was discontinued in determining the date on which student loan repayment is to begin; or (2) if the servicemember does not reenroll, to not require loan repayment to begin before the later of the last day of such 13-month period or the date the repayment was otherwise required to begin.

Prohibits a court from granting a creditor relief from the 6% limit on interest charged against the indebtedness of a servicemember during a period of military service in the case of an obligation or liability incurred by a servicemember who is a student at an institution of higher education at the time of the call to service.