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

Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge 
Complex Expansion and Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge 
Expansion Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the western basin of Lake Erie, as part of the Great 
        Lakes ecosystem--
                    (A) is the largest freshwater ecosystem in the 
                world; and
                    (B) is vitally important to the economic and 
                environmental future of the United States;
            (2) over the 30-year period preceding the date of enactment 
        of this Act, the citizens and governmental institutions of the 
        United States and Canada have devoted increasing attention and 
        resources to the restoration of the water quality and fisheries 
        of the Great Lakes, including the western basin;
            (3) that increased awareness has been accompanied by a 
        gradual shift toward a holistic ecosystem approach that 
        highlights a growing recognition that shoreline areas, commonly 
        referred to as nearshore terrestrial ecosystems, are an 
        integral part of the western basin and the Great Lakes 
        ecosystem;
            (4) the Great Lakes account for more than 90 percent of the 
        surface freshwater in the United States;
            (5) the western basin of Lake Erie receives approximately 
        90 percent of its flow from the Detroit River and only 
        approximately 10 percent from tributaries;
            (6) the western basin is an important ecosystem that 
        includes a number of distinct islands, channels, rivers, and 
        shoals that support dense populations of fish, wildlife, and 
        aquatic plants;
            (7) coastal wetland of Lake Erie supports the largest 
        diversity of plant and wildlife species in the Great Lakes;
            (8) because Lake Erie is located at a more southern 
        latitude than other Great Lakes, the moderate climate of Lake 
        Erie is appropriate for many species that are not found in or 
        along the northern Great Lakes;
            (9) more than 300 species of plants, including 37 
        significant species, have been identified in the aquatic and 
        wetland habitats of the western basin;
            (10) the shallow western basin of Lake Erie, extending from 
        the Lower Detroit River to Sandusky Bay, is home to the 
        greatest concentration of marshes in Lake Erie, including--
                    (A) Mouille, Metzger, and Magee marshes;
                    (B) the Maumee Bay wetland complex;
                    (C) the wetland complexes flanking Locust Point; 
                and
                    (D) the wetland in Sandusky Bay;
            (11) the larger islands of the United States in western 
        Lake Erie have wetland in small embayments;
            (12) the wetland in the western basin comprises some of the 
        most important waterfowl habitat in the Great Lakes;
            (13) waterfowl, wading birds, shore birds, gulls and terns, 
        raptors, and perching birds use the wetland in the western 
        basin for migration, nesting, and feeding;
            (14) hundreds of thousands of diving ducks stop to rest in 
        the Lake Erie area during autumn migration from Canada to 
        points east and south;
            (15) the wetland of the western basin provides a major 
        stopover for sea ducks, such as migrating common goldeneye, 
        common mergansers, and ruddy duck;
            (16) the international importance of Lake Erie is indicated 
        in the United States by congressional designation of the Ottawa 
        and Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuges;
            (17)(A) Lake Erie has an international reputation for 
        walleye, perch, and bass fishing, recreational boating, 
        birding, photography, and duck hunting; and
            (B) on an economic basis, tourism in the Lake Erie area 
        accounts for an estimated $1,500,000,000 in retail sales and 
        more than 50,000 jobs;
            (18)(A) many of the 417,000 boats that are registered in 
        the State of Ohio are used in the western basin, in part to 
        fish for the estimated 10,000,000 walleye that migrate from the 
        lake to spawn; and
            (B) that internationally renowned walleye fishery drives 
        much of the $2,000,000,000 sport fishing industry in the State 
        of Ohio;
            (19) coastal wetland in the western basin has been 
        subjected to intense pressure for 150 years;
            (20) prior to 1850, the western basin was part of an 
        extensive coastal marsh and swamp system consisting of 
        approximately 122,000 hectares that comprised a portion of the 
        Great Black Swamp;
            (21) by 1951, only 12,407 wetland hectares remained in the 
        western basin;
            (22) 50 percent of that acreage was destroyed between 1972 
        and 1987, leaving only approximately 5,000 hectares in 
        existence today;
            (23) along the Michigan shoreline, coastal wetland was 
        reduced by 62 percent between 1916 and the early 1970s;
            (24) the development of the city of Monroe, Michigan, has 
        had a particularly significant impact on the coastal wetland at 
        the mouth of the Raisin River;
            (25) only approximately 100 hectares remain physically 
        unaltered today in an area in which, 70 years ago, marshes were 
        10 times more extensive;
            (26) in addition to the actual loss of coastal wetland 
        acreage along the shores of Lake Erie, the quality of much 
        remaining dike wetland has been degraded by numerous stressors, 
        especially excessive loadings of sediments and nutrients, 
        contaminants, shoreline modification, exotic species, and the 
        diking of wetland; and
            (27) protective peninsula beach systems, such as the former 
        Bay Point and Woodtick, at the border of Ohio and Michigan near 
        the mouth of the Ottawa River and Maumee Bay, have been eroded 
        over the years, exacerbating erosion along the shorelines and 
        negatively affecting breeding and spawning grounds.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish a national wildlife refuge 
complex in the State of Ohio--
            (1)(A) to protect the remaining high-quality fish and 
        wildlife habitats of the western basin before those habitats 
        are lost to further development; and
            (B) to restore and enhance degraded wildlife habitats 
        associated with the western basin;
            (2) in partnership with nongovernmental and private 
        organizations and private individuals dedicated to habitat 
        enhancement, to conserve, enhance, and restore the native 
        aquatic and terrestrial community characteristics of the 
        western basin (including associated fish, wildlife, and plant 
        species);
            (3) to facilitate partnerships among the United States Fish 
        and Wildlife Service, Canadian national and provincial 
        authorities, State and local governments, local communities in 
        the United States and Canada, conservation organizations, and 
        other non-Federal entities to promote public awareness of the 
        resources of the western basin; and
            (4) to advance the collective goals and priorities that--
                    (A) were established in the report entitled ``Great 
                Lakes Strategy 2002--A Plan for the New Millennium'', 
                developed by the United States Policy Committee, 
                comprised of Federal agencies (including the United 
                States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic 
                and Atmospheric Administration, the United States 
                Geological Survey, the Forest Service, and the Great 
                Lakes Fishery Commission) and State governments and 
                tribal governments in the Great Lakes basin; and
                    (B) include the goals of cooperating to protect and 
                restore the chemical, physical, and biological 
                integrity of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Cedar point refuge.--The term ``Cedar Point Refuge'' 
        means the Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge established by 
        the Secretary in accordance with the Migratory Bird 
        Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 715 et seq.).
            (2) International refuge.--The term ``International 
        Refuge'' means the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge 
        established by section 5(a) of the Detroit River International 
        Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd note; 115 
        Stat. 894).
            (3) Ottawa refuge.--The term ``Ottawa Refuge'' means the 
        Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, established by the Secretary 
        in accordance with the Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 
        U.S.C. 715 et seq.).
            (4) Refuge complex.--The term ``Refuge Complex'' means the 
        national wildlife refuge complex established by section 5(a).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (6) Western basin.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``western basin'' means 
                the western basin of Lake Erie, consisting of the land 
                and water in the watersheds of Lake Erie extending from 
                the watershed of the Lower Detroit River in the State 
                of Michigan to and including Sandusky Bay and the 
                watershed of Sandusky Bay in the State of Ohio.
                    (B) Inclusion.--The term `western basin' includes 
                the Bass Island archipelago in the State of Ohio.
            (7) West sister island refuge.--The term ``West Sister 
        Island Refuge'' means the West Sister Island National Wildlife 
        Refuge established by Executive Order 7937, dated August 2, 
        1937.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a national wildlife refuge 
complex in the State of Ohio, consisting of--
            (1) the Ottawa Refuge, as modified by subsection (b);
            (2) the West Sister Island Refuge; and
            (3) the Cedar Point Refuge.
    (b) Expansion of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall expand the boundaries 
        of the Ottawa Refuge to include surrounding land and water in 
        the State of Ohio extending from the eastern boundary of the 
        Maumee Bay State Park to the eastern boundary of the Darby Unit 
        (including the Bass Island archipelago) as depicted on the map 
        entitled ``Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Complex Expansion 
        and Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Expansion 
        Act'', dated September 6, 2002.
            (2) Availability of map.--The map referred to in paragraph 
        (1) shall be available for inspection in appropriate offices of 
        the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
    (c) Boundary Revisions.--The Secretary may make such revisions of 
the boundaries of the Refuge Complex as the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate--
            (1) to facilitate the acquisition of property within the 
        Refuge Complex; or
            (2) to carry out this Act.
    (d) Acquisition.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
        may acquire by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated 
        funds, or exchange the land and water, and interests in land 
        and water (including conservation easements), within the 
        boundaries of the Refuge Complex.
            (2) Consent.--No land, water, or interest in land or water 
        described in paragraph (1) may be acquired by the Secretary 
        without the consent of the owner of the land, water, or 
        interest.
    (e) Transfers From Other Agencies.--Administrative jurisdiction 
over any Federal property that is located within the boundaries of the 
Refuge Complex and under the administrative jurisdiction of an agency 
of the United States other than the Department of the Interior may, 
with the concurrence of the head of the administering agency, be 
transferred without consideration to the Secretary for the purpose of 
this Act.
    (f) Study of Associated Area.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Director 
        of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall conduct a 
        study of fish and wildlife habitat and aquatic and terrestrial 
        communities in and around the 2 dredge spoil disposal sites 
        that are--
                    (A) referred to by the Toledo-Lucas County Port 
                Authority as ``Port Authority Facility Number Three'' 
                and ``Grassy Island'', respectively; and
                    (B) located within Toledo Harbor near the mouth of 
                the Maumee River.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of the Act, the Secretary shall--
                    (A) complete the study under paragraph (1); and
                    (B) submit to Congress a report on the results of 
                the study.

SEC. 6. EXPANSION OF INTERNATIONAL REFUGE BOUNDARIES.

    The Secretary shall expand the southern boundary of the 
International Refuge to include additional land and water in the State 
of Michigan located east of Interstate Route 75, extending from the 
southern boundary of Sterling State Park to the Ohio State line, as 
depicted on the map referred to in section 5(b)(1).

SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Refuge Complex.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer all 
        federally owned land, water, and interests in land and water 
        that are located within the boundaries of the Refuge Complex in 
        accordance with--
                    (A) the National Wildlife Refuge System 
                Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.); 
                and
                    (B) this Act.
            (2) Additional authority.--The Secretary may use such 
        additional statutory authority available to the Secretary for 
        the conservation of fish and wildlife, and the provision of 
        opportunities for fish- and wildlife-dependent recreation, as 
        the Secretary determines to be appropriate to carry out this 
        Act.
    (b) Priority Uses.--In providing opportunities for compatible fish- 
and wildlife-dependent recreation, the Secretary, in accordance with 
paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)), shall ensure, 
to the maximum extent practicable, that hunting, trapping, fishing, 
wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and 
interpretation are the priority public uses of the Refuge Complex.
    (c) Cooperative Agreements Regarding Non-Federal Land.--To promote 
public awareness of the resources of the western basin and encourage 
public participation in the conservation of those resources, the 
Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the State of Ohio 
or Michigan, any political subdivision of the State, or any person for 
the management, in a manner consistent with this Act, of land that--
            (1) is owned by the State, political subdivision, or 
        person; and
            (2) is located within the boundaries of the Refuge Complex.
    (d) Use of Existing Greenway Authority.--The Secretary shall 
encourage the State of Ohio to use authority under the recreational 
trails program under section 206 of title 23, United States Code, to 
provide funding for acquisition and development of trails within the 
boundaries of the Refuge Complex.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
necessary--
            (1) to acquire land and water within the Refuge Complex 
        under section 5(d);
            (2) to carry out the study under section 5(f); and
            (3) to develop, operate, and maintain the Refuge Complex.

Output: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Complex Expansion and Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act - Establishes a national wildlife refuge complex in Ohio, consisting of the Ottawa, West Sister Island, and Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuges.Requires the Secretary of the Interior to expand the Ottawa Refuge to include specified land and water in Ohio. Permits the Secretary to acquire by donation, purchase, or exchange the land and water and interests in land and water within the boundaries of the Complex.Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to study and report to Congress on fish and wildlife habitat and aquatic and terrestrial communities in and around two specified dredge spoil disposal sites in Toledo Harbor.Requires the Secretary to expand the southern boundary of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (the Refuge) to include additional land and water located in the State of Michigan east of Interstate Route 75.Prescribes requirements for administration of the Complex.Directs the Secretary to ensure that hunting, trapping, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation shall be the priority public uses of the Complex.Requires the Secretary to encourage the State of Ohio to use authority under the Federal recreational trails program to provide funding for the acquisition and development of trails within the boundaries of the Complex.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Judiciary Ethics Reform Act 
of 2006''.

SEC. 2. JUDICIAL EDUCATION FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--Chapter 42 of title 28, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 630. Judicial Education Fund
    ``(a) In this section, the term--
            ``(1) `institution of higher education' has the meaning 
        given under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1001(a));
            ``(2) `private judicial seminar'--
                    ``(A) means a seminar, symposia, panel discussion, 
                course, or a similar event that provides continuing 
                legal education to judges; and
                    ``(B) does not include--
                            ``(i) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by, and on the campus of, an 
                        institute of higher education;
                            ``(ii) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations for the benefit 
                        of the bar association membership; or
                            ``(iii) seminars of any length conducted 
                        by, and on the campus of an institute of higher 
                        education or by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations, where a judge 
                        is a presenter and at which judges constitute 
                        less than 25 percent of the participants;
            ``(3) `national bar association' means a national 
        organization that is open to general membership to all members 
        of the bar; and
            ``(4) `State or local bar association' means a State or 
        local organization that is open to general membership to all 
        members of the bar in the specified geographic region.
    ``(b) There is established within the United States Treasury a fund 
to be known as the `Judicial Education Fund' (in this section referred 
to as the `Fund').
    ``(c) Amounts in the Fund may be made available for the payment of 
necessary expenses, including reasonable expenditures for 
transportation, food, lodging, private judicial seminar fees and 
materials, incurred by a judge or justice in attending a private 
judicial seminar approved by the Board of the Federal Judicial Center. 
Necessary expenses shall not include expenditures for recreational 
activities or entertainment other than that provided to all attendees 
as an integral part of the private judicial seminar. Any payment from 
the Fund shall be approved by the Board.
    ``(d) The Board may approve a private judicial seminar after 
submission of information by the sponsor of that private judicial 
seminar that includes--
            ``(1) the content of the private judicial seminar 
        (including a list of presenters, topics, and course materials); 
        and
            ``(2) the litigation activities of the sponsor and the 
        presenters at the private judicial seminar (including the 
        litigation activities of the employer of each presenter) on the 
        topic related to those addressed at the private judicial 
        seminar.
    ``(e) If the Board approves a private judicial seminar, the Board 
shall make the information submitted under subsection (d) relating to 
the private judicial seminar available to judges and the public by 
posting the information on the Internet.
    ``(f) The Judicial Conference shall promulgate guidelines to ensure 
that the Board only approves private judicial seminars that are 
conducted in a manner so as to maintain the public's confidence in an 
unbiased and fair-minded judiciary.
    ``(g) There are authorized to be appropriated for deposit in the 
Fund $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008, to 
remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 42 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``630. Judicial Education Fund.''.

SEC. 3. PRIVATE JUDICIAL SEMINAR GIFTS PROHIBITED.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
            (1) ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning 
        given under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1001(a));
            (2) ``private judicial seminar''--
                    (A) means a seminar, symposia, panel discussion, 
                course, or a similar event that provides continuing 
                legal education to judges; and
                    (B) does not include--
                            (i) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by, and on the campus of, an 
                        institute of higher education;
                            (ii) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations for the benefit 
                        of the bar association membership; or
                            (iii) seminars of any length conducted by, 
                        and on the campus of an institute of higher 
                        education or by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations, where a judge 
                        is a presenter and at which judges constitute 
                        less than 25 percent of the participants;
            (3) ``national bar association'' means a national 
        organization that is open to general membership to all members 
        of the bar; and
            (4) ``State or local bar association'' means a State or 
        local organization that is open to general membership to all 
        members of the bar in the specified geographic region.
    (b) In General.--Not later than 240 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Judicial Conference of the United States 
shall promulgate regulations to apply section 7353(a) of title 5, 
United States Code, to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of 
anything of value in connection with a private judicial seminar.
    (c) Exception.--The prohibition under the regulations promulgated 
under subsection (b) shall not apply if--
            (1) the judge participates in a private judicial seminar as 
        a speaker, panel participant, or otherwise presents 
        information;
            (2) Federal judges are not the primary audience at the 
        private judicial seminar; and
            (3) the thing of value accepted is--
                    (A) reimbursement from the private judicial seminar 
                sponsor of reasonable transportation, food, or lodging 
                expenses on any day on which the judge speaks, 
                participates, or presents information, as applicable;
                    (B) attendance at the private judicial seminar on 
                any day on which the judge speaks, participates, or 
                presents information, as applicable; or
                    (C) anything excluded from the definition of a gift 
                under regulations of the Judicial Conference of the 
                United States under sections 7351 and 7353 of title 5, 
                United States Code, as in effect on the date of 
                enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. RECUSAL LISTS.

    Section 455 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(g)(1) Each justice, judge, and magistrate of the United States 
shall maintain a list of all financial interests that would require 
disqualification under subsection (b)(4).
    ``(2) Each list maintained under paragraph (1) shall be made 
available to the public at the office of the clerk for the court at 
which a justice, judge, or magistrate is assigned.''.

Output: Federal Judiciary Ethics Reform Act of 2006 - Amends the federal judicial code to: (1) establish within the Treasury a Judicial Education Fund for the payment of necessary expenses incurred by a judge or justice in attending a private judicial seminar approved by the Board of the Federal Judicial Center; and (2) require each justice, judge, and magistrate of the United States to maintain a list (to be made available to the public) of all financial interests that would require disqualification in any proceeding in which his or her impartiality might reasonably be questioned.

Directs the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate regulations to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of anything in value in connection with a private judicial seminar, with specified exceptions.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Joseph H. Seall Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. WAIVER OF 5-MONTH WAITING PERIOD FOR BENEFITS BASED ON 
              DISABILITY IN CASES OF TERMINALLY ILL BENEFICIARIES.

    (a) Disability Insurance Benefits.--Section 223(a) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 423(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
    ``(3) The Commissioner of Social Security may waive the application 
of the individual's waiting period under clause (i) in the first 
sentence of paragraph (1) if the Commissioner determines that such 
individual would otherwise be entitled to disability insurance benefits 
under this section, that such individual is terminally ill, and that 
the application of the waiting period would work an undue hardship on 
such individual (as determined on the basis of criteria established by 
the Commissioner). In the case of any such waiver granted by the 
Commissioner with respect to an individual, notwithstanding clauses (i) 
and (ii) in the first sentence of paragraph (1), the individual shall 
be entitled to disability insurance benefits for each month, beginning 
with the first month during all of which such individual is under a 
disability and in which such individual would become so entitled to 
such insurance benefits under such sentence but for such waiting 
period, and ending as provided in paragraph (1). For purposes of this 
paragraph, an individual is considered to be `terminally ill' if the 
individual has a medical prognosis that the individual's life 
expectancy is 6 months or less.''.
    (b) Widow's Insurance Benefits Based on Disability.--Section 
202(e)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)(5)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(C) The Commissioner of Social Security may waive the application 
of the individual's waiting period under paragraph (1)(F)(i) if the 
Commissioner determines that she would otherwise be entitled to widow's 
insurance benefits under this section, that she is terminally ill, and 
that such application of the waiting period would work an undue 
hardship on her (as determined on the basis of criteria established by 
the Commissioner). In the case of any such waiver granted by the 
Commissioner with respect to an individual, notwithstanding clauses (i) 
and (ii) of paragraph (1)(F), she shall be entitled to widow's 
insurance benefits for each month, beginning with the first month 
during all of which she is under a disability and in which she would 
become so entitled to such insurance benefits under paragraph (1) but 
for such waiting period, and ending as provided in paragraph (1). For 
purposes of this subparagraph, an individual is considered to be 
`terminally ill' if the individual has a medical prognosis that the 
individual's life expectancy is 6 months or less.''.
    (c) Widower's Insurance Benefits Based on Disability.--Section 
202(f)(6) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)(6)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(C) The Commissioner of Social Security may waive the application 
of the individual's waiting period under paragraph (1)(F)(i) if the 
Commissioner determines that he would otherwise be entitled to 
widower's insurance benefits under this section, that he is terminally 
ill, and that such application would work an undue hardship on him (as 
determined on the basis of criteria established by the Commissioner). 
In the case of any such waiver granted by the Commissioner with respect 
to an individual, notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph 
(1)(F), he shall be entitled to widower's insurance benefits for each 
month, beginning with the first month during all of which he is under a 
disability and in which he would become so entitled to such insurance 
benefits under paragraph (1) but for such waiting period, and ending as 
provided in paragraph (1). For purposes of this subparagraph, an 
individual is considered to be `terminally ill' if the individual has a 
medical prognosis that the individual's life expectancy is 6 months or 
less.''.
    (d) Commencement of Period of Disability.--Section 216(i)(2)(A) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 416(i)(2)(A)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(i)'' after ``(2)(A)'';
            (2) by inserting ``(I)'' after ``but only if'';
            (3) by inserting ``(II)'' after ``duration or''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new clause:
    ``(ii) The Commissioner of Social Security may waive the 
application of the five-month requirement under clause (i)(I) if the 
Commissioner determines that such individual would otherwise be 
entitled to a period of disability under this paragraph, that such 
individual is terminally ill, and that the application of such five-
month requirement would work an undue hardship on such individual (as 
determined on the basis of criteria established by the Commissioner). 
For purposes of this clause, an individual is considered to be 
`terminally ill' if the individual has a medical prognosis that the 
individual's life expectancy is 6 months or less.''.
    (e) Effective Dates.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply only with respect to benefits under section 223 of the Social 
Security Act, or under section 202 of such Act on the basis of the 
wages and self-employment income of an individual entitled to benefits 
under such section 223, for months beginning after 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. The amendments made by subsections 
(b) and (c) shall apply only with respect to benefits based on 
disability under subsection (e) or (f) of section 202 of the Social 
Security Act for months after 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. The amendments made by subsection (d) shall apply only 
with respect to applications for disability determinations filed under 
title II of the Social Security Act after 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. STUDY REGARDING DISABILITY CLAIMS PROCESSING.

    (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Social Security shall 
undertake a study regarding the processing of claims for disability 
insurance benefits under section 223 of the Social Security Act, other 
benefits based on disability under section 202 of such Act, periods of 
disability under section 216(i) of such Act, and supplemental security 
income benefits based on disability under title XVI of such Act.
    (b) Matters To Be Studied.--In carrying out the study required 
under subsection (a), the Commissioner shall--
            (1) analyze the methods and procedures currently employed 
        in making determinations regarding claims described in 
        subsection (a), including methods and procedures employed by 
        State agencies and the Social Security Administration under 
        section 221 of such Act, and
            (2) compare such methods and procedures to the methods and 
        procedures currently employed by other Federal and State 
        agencies and disability benefit providers in the private sector 
        regarding claims for disability benefits under programs 
        administered by such agencies and providers.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall report to the Committee 
on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Finance of the Senate the Commissioner's recommendations regarding 
possible improvements in the methods and procedures referred to in 
subsection (b)(1) (including methods and procedures that would expedite 
the disability determination process as a means of remedying the 
current backlog in the processing of claims described in subsection 
(a)) based on the comparisons made pursuant to subsection (b)(2), 
together with such recommendations for legislative changes as the 
Commissioner may consider necessary or appropriate to facilitate such 
improvements.


Output: Joseph H. Seall Act of 2007 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to authorize waivers by the Commissioner of Social Security of the five-month waiting period for entitlement to benefits based on disability in cases in which such waiting period would cause undue hardship to terminally ill benefiaries.

Requires the Commissioner to study and report to specified congressional committees on possible improvements in disability claims processing.