In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
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Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Government Accountability Office 
Improvement Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO OBTAIN RECORDS.

    (a) Authority To Obtain Records.--Section 716 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended in subsection (a)--
            (1) by striking ``(a)'' and inserting ``(2)''; and
            (2) by inserting after the section heading the following:
    ``(a)(1) The Comptroller General is authorized to obtain such 
agency records as the Comptroller General requires to discharge his 
duties (including audit, evaluation, and investigative duties), 
including through the bringing of civil actions under this section. In 
reviewing a civil action under this section, the court shall recognize 
the continuing force and effect of the authorization in the preceding 
sentence until such time as the authorization is repealed pursuant to 
law.''.
    (b) Interviews.--Section 716(a) of title 31, United States Code, as 
amended by subsection (a), is further amended in the second sentence of 
paragraph (2) by inserting ``and interview agency officers and 
employees'' after ``agency record''.

SEC. 3. ADMINISTERING OATHS.

    Section 711 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking 
paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
            ``(4) administer oaths to witnesses, except that, in 
        matters other than auditing and settling accounts, the 
        authority of an officer or employee to administer oaths to 
        witnesses pursuant to a delegation under paragraph (2) shall 
        not be available without the prior express approval of the 
        Comptroller General (or a designee).''.

SEC. 4. ACCESS TO CERTAIN INFORMATION.

    (a) Access to Certain Information.--Subchapter II of chapter 7 of 
title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
``Sec. 721. Access to certain information
    ``(a) No provision of the Social Security Act shall be construed to 
limit, amend, or supersede the authority of the Comptroller General to 
obtain any information, to inspect any record, or to interview any 
officer or employee under section 716 of this title, including with 
respect to any information disclosed to or obtained by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under part C or D of title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act.
    ``(b) No provision of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
shall be construed to limit, amend, or supersede the authority of the 
Comptroller General to obtain any information, to inspect any record, 
or to interview any officer or employee under section 716 of this 
title, including with respect to any information concerning any method 
or process which as a trade secret is entitled to protection.
    ``(c) No provision of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements 
Act of 1976 and the amendments made by that Act shall be construed to 
limit, amend, or supersede the authority of the Comptroller General to 
obtain any information, to inspect any record, or to interview any 
officer or employee under section 716 of this title, including with 
respect to any information disclosed to the Assistant Attorney General 
of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice or the Federal 
Trade Commission for purposes of pre-merger review under section 7A of 
the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 18a).
    ``(d)(1) The Comptroller General shall prescribe such policies and 
procedures as are necessary to protect from public disclosure 
proprietary or trade secret information obtained consistent with this 
section.
    ``(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed--
            ``(A) to alter or amend the prohibitions against the 
        disclosure of trade secret or other sensitive information 
        prohibited by section 1905 of title 18 and other applicable 
        laws; or
            ``(B) to affect the applicability of section 716(e) of this 
        title, including the protections against unauthorized 
        disclosure contained in that section, to information obtained 
        consistent with this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 7 of title 31, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 720 the following:

``721. Access to certain information.''.

SEC. 5. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORTS.

    Section 719 of title 31, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking ``and'' at the 
        end;
            (2) in subsection (b)(1)(C), by striking the period at the 
        end and inserting ``; and'';
            (3) by adding at the end of subsection (b)(1) the 
        following:
            ``(D) for agencies subject to sections 901 to 903 and other 
        agencies designated by the Comptroller General, an assessment 
        of their overall degree of cooperation in making personnel 
        available for interview, providing written answers to 
        questions, submitting to an oath authorized by the Comptroller 
        General under section 711, granting access to records, 
        providing timely comments to draft reports, adopting 
        recommendations in reports and responding to such other matters 
        as the Comptroller General deems appropriate.'';
            (4) in subsection (c)(2)(B), by striking ``and'' at the 
        end;
            (5) in subsection (c)(3), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and'', and
            (6) by adding at the end of subsection (c) the following:
            ``(4) as soon as practicable when an agency does not, 
        within a reasonable time, respond to a request by the 
        Comptroller General regarding any matter described in 
        subsection (b)(1)(D).''.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 29, 2008.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.

Answer: Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Comptroller General to: (1) obtain federal agency records required to discharge his or her duties, including through bringing civil actions under this Act; (2) interview agency officers and employees to get information about agency duties, powers, activities, organization, and financial transactions; and (3) administer oaths to witnesses (currently, the Comptroller General may administer oaths to witnesses when auditing and settling accounts).

Requires the Comptroller General to prescribe such policies and procedures as are necessary to protect from public disclosure proprietary or trade secret information obtained under this Act.

Declares that no provision of the Social Security Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 shall be construed to limit, amend, or supersede the authority of the Comptroller General to obtain information, inspect records, or interview specified agency officers or employees, including with respect to: (1) information disclosed to or obtained by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Social Security Act; (2) information concerning any method or process protected as a trade secret; and (3) information disclosed to the Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for purposes of pre-merger review under the Clayton Act. Declares that this Act shall not be construed to: (1) alter or amend the prohibitions against the disclosure of trade secret or other sensitive information; and (2) affect the applicability of requirements governing the availability of agency information to information obtained.

Requires the Comptroller General to: (1) report annually on the cooperation of agencies subject to the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 and other agencies designated by the Comptroller General in making personnel available for interviews, providing written answers to questions, submitting to an oath authorized by the Comptroller General, granting access to records, providing timely comments to draft reports, adopting report recommendations, and responding to such matters as the Comptroller General deems appropriate; and (2) report to Congress when agencies do not respond to requests regarding such matters.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Commission on the Removal of 
Mexican-Americans to Mexico Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) From 1929 through 1941, Federal, State, and local 
        Government authorities and certain private sector entities 
        throughout the United States undertook an aggressive program to 
        forcibly remove individuals of Mexican ancestry from the United 
        States.
            (2) As many as 1,200,000 individuals of Mexican ancestry 
        who were United States citizens were forcibly removed to 
        Mexico.
            (3) These men, women, and children were removed outside the 
        United States in response to public pressure to curtail the 
        employment of Mexican-Americans, most of whom were United 
        States citizens or residing legally in the United States, 
        during the Depression.
            (4) Massive raids were conducted on Mexican-American 
        communities, and many of the people who were removed were never 
        able to return to the United States, their country of birth.
            (5) These raids targeted individuals of Mexican ancestry, 
        even when such individuals were United States citizens or 
        permanent legal residents.
            (6) These raids also separated such United States citizens 
        and permanent legal residents from their families and deprived 
        them of their livelihoods and constitutional rights.
            (7) No official inquiry into this matter has been made.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to establish a fact 
finding commission to determine whether United States citizens and 
permanent legal residents were forcibly removed to Mexico from 1929 to 
1941 in violation of law as a result of past directives of Federal, 
State and local governments and the impact of such removal on those 
individuals, their families, and the Mexican-American community in the 
United States, and to recommend appropriate remedies.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``Commission 
on the Removal of Mexican-Americans to Mexico''.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall--
            (1) review the facts and circumstances surrounding the 
        removal of certain United States citizens and permanent legal 
        residents to Mexico from 1929 to 1941, and the impact of such 
        actions on these individuals, their families, and the Mexican-
        American community in the United States;
            (2) review past directives of Federal, State, and local 
        governments that required the removal of these individuals to 
        Mexico and any other information related to these directives; 
        and
            (3) submit to Congress a written report of its findings and 
        recommendations.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 
seven members, who shall be appointed within 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act as follows:
            (1) Three members appointed by the President.
            (2) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, in consultation with the minority leader of 
        the House of Representatives.
            (3) Two members appointed by the President pro tempore of 
        the Senate, in consultation with the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
    (b) Qualifications.--Members appointed under subsection (a) shall 
possess knowledge or expertise related to human rights, civil rights, 
immigration, labor, business, or other pertinent qualifications.
    (c) Term of Office.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of 
the Commission.
    (d) Quorum.--Four members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (e) Initial Meeting.--The initial meeting of the Commission shall 
be called by the President within one hundred and twenty days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, or within thirty days after the date 
on which legislation is enacted making appropriations to carry out this 
Act, whichever is later.
    (f) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Commission shall elect a 
chairperson and vice chairperson from among its members. The term of 
office of each shall be for the life of the Commission.
    (g) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its 
powers and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original 
appointment was made.

SEC. 6. POWERS.

    (a) Hearings.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission or on the authorization of 
        the Commission, any subcommittee or member thereof, may for the 
        purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at 
        times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the 
        Commission or any subcommittee or member considers appropriate.
            (2) Location.--The Commission may hold public hearings in 
        any city of the United States that it finds appropriate.
    (b) Subpoena Power.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may issue subpoenas 
        requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the 
        production of any evidence relating to any matter under 
        investigation by the Commission which the Commission is 
        empowered to investigate by this Act.
            (2) Failure to obey a subpoena.--If a person refuses to 
        obey a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the Commission may 
        apply to a United States district court for an order requiring 
        that person to appear before the Commission to give testimony, 
        produce evidence, or both, relating to the matter under 
        investigation. The application may be made within the judicial 
        district where the hearing is conducted or where such person is 
        found, resides, or transacts business. Any failure to obey the 
        order of the court may be punished by the court as civil 
        contempt.
            (3) Service of subpoena.--A subpoena of the Commission 
        shall be served in the manner provided for subpoenas issued by 
        a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil 
        Procedure for the United States district courts.
            (4) Service of process.--All process of any court to which 
        application is made under paragraph (2) may be served in the 
        judicial district in which the person required to be served 
        resides or may be found.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States, or from any State 
or local government, information necessary to enable it to carry out 
this Act. Upon request of any member, the head of such department or 
agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
    (d) Contract Authority.--To the extent or in the amounts provided 
in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission may contract with and 
compensate government and private agencies or persons for any services, 
supplies, or other activities necessary to enable the Commission to 
carry out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 7. STAFF.

    (a) In General.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of such 
additional staff as it considers appropriate.
    (b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--Any staff of the 
Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 
5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, and may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 
and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code.
    (d) Administrative Support Services.--Upon request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties under 
this Act.

SEC. 8. REPORT.

    The Commission shall submit to Congress a written report not later 
than the date which is one year after the date of the initial meeting 
called pursuant to section 5(d) of this Act. The report shall contain a 
detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, 
together with its recommendations for legislative actions that the 
Commission considers appropriate.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submitting the report 
under section 8.

SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the 
        Commission on the Removal of Mexican-Americans to Mexico 
        established under section 3.
            (2) Member.--The term ``member'' means a member of the 
        Commission.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, and any other commonwealth, possession, or 
        territory of the United States.

Answer: Commission on the Removal of Mexican-Americans to Mexico This bill establishes the Commission on the Removal of Mexican-Americans to Mexico, which shall: (1) review the facts and circumstances surrounding the 1929-1941 removal of certain U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents to Mexico and the impact of such actions on such individuals, their families, and the Mexican-American community; (2) review federal, state, and local government directives that required such removal and any other related information; and (3) report its findings, conclusions, and any recommendations for legislative actions. 


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Specialty Crop and Value-Added 
Agriculture Promotion Act''.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL GRANTS TO STATES TO SUPPORT SPECIALTY CROP PRODUCERS.

    (a) Availability and Purpose of Grants.--Subject to the 
appropriation of funds to carry out this section, the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall make a grant each fiscal year under this section to 
each State that submits an application requesting the grant for that 
fiscal year. The grant funds shall be used by the State department of 
agriculture solely to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops 
produced in that State. The application for a fiscal year shall be 
submitted at such time and in such form as the Secretary prescribes.
    (b) Grants Based on Value of Production.--The amount of the grant 
for a fiscal year to a State under this section shall bear the same 
ratio to the total amount appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
appropriations in subsection (e) for that fiscal year as the value of 
specialty crop production in the State during the preceding calendar 
year bears to the value of specialty crop production during that 
calendar year in all States submitting applications for a grant for 
that fiscal year.
    (c) Grant Funds as Supplement to State Expenditures.--Grant funds 
provided under this section shall supplement the expenditure of State 
funds in support of specialty crops and specialty crop producers, and 
shall not replace State funds.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``specialty crop'' means all agricultural 
        crops, except wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, 
        peanuts, sugar, and tobacco.
            (2) The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, the 
        District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
        United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
            (3) The term ``State department of agriculture'' means the 
        agency, commission, or department of a State government 
        responsible for protecting and promoting agriculture within the 
        State.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2005 and 
each fiscal year thereafter to make grants under this section.

SEC. 3. BLOCK GRANTS TO STATES FOR VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT 
              MARKET DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 231(b) of the Agricultural Risk Protection 
Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Grant Program.--
            ``(1) Block grants to states.--
                    ``(A) In general.--From amounts made available 
                under paragraph (6) for each fiscal year, the Secretary 
                shall provide to each State, subject to subparagraph 
                (B), a sum equal to--
                            ``(i) the amount so made available; 
                        multiplied by
                            ``(ii)(I) the total value of the 
                        agricultural commodities and products made in 
                        the State during the preceding fiscal year; 
                        divided by
                            ``(II) the total value of the agricultural 
                        commodities and products made in all of the 
                        States during the preceding fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Limitation.--The total amount that may be 
                provided to a State for a fiscal year under 
                subparagraph (A) shall not exceed $3,000,000.
            ``(2) Grants by states.--A State to which funds are 
        provided under paragraph (1) shall use the money to award 
        competitive grants--
                    ``(A) to an eligible independent producer (as 
                determined by the State) of a value-added agricultural 
                product to assist the producer--
                            ``(i) in developing a business plan for 
                        viable marketing opportunities for the value-
                        added agricultural product; or
                            ``(ii) in developing strategies that are 
                        intended to create marketing opportunities for 
                        the producer; and
                    ``(B) to an eligible agricultural producer group, 
                farmer or rancher cooperative, or majority-controlled 
                producer-based business venture (as determined by the 
                State) to assist the entity--
                            ``(i) in developing a business plan for 
                        viable marketing opportunities in emerging 
                        markets for a value-added agricultural product; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) in developing strategies that are 
                        intended to create marketing opportunities in 
                        emerging markets for the value-added 
                        agricultural product.
            ``(3) Amount of grant.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The total amount provided under 
                paragraph (2) to a grant recipient shall not exceed 
                $500,000.
                    ``(B) Majority-controlled producer-based business 
                ventures.--The amount of grants provided by a State to 
                majority-controlled producer-based business ventures 
                under paragraph (2)(B) for a fiscal year may not exceed 
                10 percent of the amount of funds that are used by the 
                State to make grants for the fiscal year under 
                paragraph (2).
            ``(4) Grantee strategies.--A grantee under paragraph (2) 
        shall use the grant--
                    ``(A) to develop a business plan or perform a 
                feasibility study to establish a viable marketing 
                opportunity for a value-added agricultural product; or
                    ``(B) to provide capital to establish alliances or 
                business ventures that allow the producer of the value-
                added agricultural product to better compete in 
                domestic or international markets.
            ``(5) Reports.--Within 90 days after the end of a fiscal 
        year for which funds are provided to a State under paragraph 
        (1), the State shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, 
        Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing how 
        the funds were used.
            ``(6) Funding.--On October 1 of each fiscal year, of the 
        funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall 
        make available to carry out this subsection $100,000,000, to 
        remain available until expended.
            ``(7) State defined.--In this subsection, the term `State' 
        means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
        Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands. ''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on October 1, 2004.

SEC. 4. REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTIFICATION COSTS.

    The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a quality 
standardization program for certification of farmers and processors 
under quality assurance systems. The program--
            (1) shall set standards for types of certifications that 
        qualify under the program;
            (2) may provide for certification under programs such as 
        Good Agricultural Practices, Good Handling Practices, and Good 
        Manufacturing Practices programs;
            (3) shall establish what certification-related expenses 
        shall qualify for reimbursement under the program; and
            (4) shall provide that farmers and processors shall be 
        reimbursed for 50 percent of qualified expenses related to 
        accepted certifications.

SEC. 5. NATIONWIDE EXPANSION OF RISK MANAGEMENT AGENCY ADJUSTED GROSS 
              REVENUE INSURANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Expansion.--Section 523(e) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 
U.S.C. 1523(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
            ``(3) Permanent nationwide operation.--Effective beginning 
        with the 2005 reinsurance year, the Corporation shall carry out 
        the adjusted gross revenue insurance pilot program as a 
        permanent program under this Act and may expand the program to 
        cover any county in which crops are produced. To facilitate the 
        expansion of the program nationwide, the Corporation may grant 
        temporary premium subsidies for the purchase of a policy under 
        the program to producers whose farm operations are located in a 
        county that has a high level of specialty crop production and 
        has not had a high-level of participation in the purchase of 
        crop insurance coverage.''.
    (b) Comptroller General Study.--The Comptroller General shall 
conduct a study of the Federal crop insurance program to determine how 
well the program serves specialty crop producers and to recommend such 
changes as the Comptroller General considers appropriate to improve the 
program for specialty crop producers.

SEC. 6. EXPANSION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM IN SCHOOL LUNCH 
              PROGRAMS.

    The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 18, by striking subsection (g); and
            (2) by inserting after section 18 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 19. FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make available to students 
in not more than 100 schools in each State, and in elementary and 
secondary schools on 1 Indian reservation, free fresh and dried fruits 
and vegetables throughout the school day in 1 or more areas designated 
by the school.
    ``(b) Priority in Allocation.--In selecting States to participate 
in the program, the Secretary shall give priority to States that 
produce large quantities of specialty crops.
    ``(c) Publicity.--A school participating in the program authorized 
by this section shall publicize within the school the availability of 
free fruits and vegetables under the program.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal years 2005 and 2006, $20,000,000 to carry out 
this section.''.

Answer:
Specialty Crop and Value-Added Agriculture Promotion Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make annual State grants (based upon value of production) to enhance specialty crop competitiveness. Stipulates that such grants shall supplement and not replace State funds.

Defines "specialty crop" as any crop other than wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar, and tobacco.

Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 to replace the agricultural marketing resource center pilot project with a State block grant program for value-added agricultural product market development.

Directs the Secretary to establish a quality standardization program for certification of farmers and processors under quality assurance systems, which shall include 50 percent reimbursement of participant certification costs.

Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to direct the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out the adjusted gross revenue insurance pilot program as a permanent program. Authorizes the Corporation to: (1) expand the program to cover any county in which crops are produced; and (2) grant temporary policy subsidies for producers located in a county that has a high level of specialty crop production and has not had a high level of crop insurance coverage coverage.

Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to direct the Secretary to: (1) make available to students in not more than 100 schools in each State, and in elementary and secondary schools on one Indian reservation, free fresh and dried fruits and vegetables throughout the school day in one or more school-designated areas; and (2) give priority to States that produce large quantities of specialty crops.