110 HRES 1057 IH: Commemorating the 25th anniversary of

U.S. House of Representatives
2008-03-14
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

		IV
		110th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. RES. 1057
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			March 14, 2008
			Mr. Lamborn (for
			 himself, Mr. Franks of Arizona,
			 Mr. Sessions,
			 Mr. Marshall,
			 Mr. Brady of Texas,
			 Mr. King of Iowa,
			 Mrs. Cubin,
			 Mr. Goode,
			 Mr. Feeney,
			 Mr. Broun of Georgia,
			 Mrs. Drake,
			 Mr. Kline of Minnesota,
			 Mr. Burton of Indiana,
			 Mrs. Bachmann,
			 Mr. Kingston, and
			 Mr. Wilson of South Carolina)
			 submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Armed
			 Services, and in addition to the Committee on
			 Foreign Affairs, for a
			 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
			 consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
			 committee concerned

		RESOLUTION
		Commemorating the 25th anniversary of
		  President Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative speech.

		Whereas on March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan
			 delivered a speech regarding the nuclear and ballistic missile threat posed by
			 the Soviet Union and proposed the development of new technology to counter this
			 threat;
		Whereas March 23, 2008, marks the 25th anniversary of this
			 landmark speech;
		Whereas President Reagan believed our security is based on
			 being prepared to meet all threats;
		Whereas President Reagan envisioned a defensive,
			 non-nuclear capability to intercept and destroy strategic nuclear missiles
			 before they reached the United States or our allies;
		Whereas President Reagan envisioned these defenses to
			 significantly reduce any incentive that an adversary may have to threaten
			 attack against the United States or our allies;
		Whereas the goal of this speech has been realized through
			 efforts of dedicated Americans, who have been instrumental in developing the
			 ballistic missile defense technologies and systems that protect the
			 Nation;
		Whereas the capability of the Nation’s missile defenses
			 was successfully put on alert in response to the July 2006 North Korean missile
			 launches and was successfully demonstrated on February 21, 2008, when a
			 Standard Missile-3 rocket fired from the USS Lake Erie intercepted a disabled
			 National Reconnaissance Office satellite;
		Whereas ballistic missile defense technology continues to
			 be developed, tested, and operationally deployed by the United States and our
			 allies and friends;
		Whereas the Missile Defense Agency and the Armed Forces of
			 the United States stand ever vigilant to counter foreign aggression;
		Whereas the United States ballistic missile defense system
			 may deter and devalue the missiles of those who would threaten the peace and
			 security of America and our allies and friends; and
		Whereas the integrated ballistic missile defense system is
			 a key portion of our national defense: Now, therefore, be it

		That the House of
			 Representatives—
			(1)recognizes the
			 unique vision and tireless efforts of President Ronald Reagan to promote peace
			 and security; and
			(2)commemorates the
			 25th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan’s speech on the Strategic Defense
			 Initiative.


		IV
		111th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. RES. 499
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			June 3, 2009
			Ms. McCollum
			 submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Education and
			 Labor

		RESOLUTION
		Congratulating the University of St. Thomas
		  Tommies baseball team for winning the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic
		  Association Division III Men’s Baseball National Championship.

		Whereas the University of St. Thomas Tommies of St. Paul,
			 Minnesota, defeated the College of Wooster Fighting Scots of Wooster, Ohio, 3
			 to 2, on May 26, 2009, to become the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic
			 Association (NCAA) Division III Men’s Baseball National Champions;
		Whereas this win marks the second national title for the
			 University of St. Thomas in baseball, the first was in 2001;
		Whereas this baseball title is the University of St.
			 Thomas’s 13th national team championship;
		Whereas the University of St. Thomas men’s baseball team
			 finished the 2008–2009 season with a record of 41–13;
		Whereas the University of St. Thomas became the third team
			 in the 34 years of Division III baseball championships to win six NCAA playoff
			 elimination games;
		Whereas Head Coach Dennis Denning has led the men’s
			 baseball team to four NCAA Division III College World Series and was named the
			 ABCA/Rawlings Division III National Coach of the Year in 2001;
		Whereas Matt Olson, a junior out fielder from Anoka, was
			 voted the College World Series’ Most Outstanding Player;
		Whereas pitcher Matt Schuld, a junior from Plymouth, is
			 one of only four Division III players named both All-American and Academic
			 All-American for 2009; and
		Whereas the University of St. Thomas was founded in 1885
			 and serves just under 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students making it
			 Minnesota’s largest independent college or university: Now, therefore, be
			 it

		That the House of Representatives—
			(1)commends the
			 University of St. Thomas baseball team for winning the 2009 National Collegiate
			 Athletic Association Division III Men’s Baseball National Championship;
			(2)recognizes the
			 achievements of the players, coaches, students, and staff whose hard work and
			 dedication helped the University of St. Thomas win the championship; and
			(3)directs the Clerk
			 of the House of Representatives to transmit a copy of this resolution to the
			 University of St. Thomas President Father Dennis Dease, Baseball Coach Dennis
			 Denning, and Athletic Director Steve Fritz for appropriate display.


116 S1195 IS: Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
U.S. Senate
2019-04-11
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II116th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 1195IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESApril 11, 2019Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Daines, Mr. Tester, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Portman, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Brown, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Jones, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Warren, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Coons, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Peters, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Udall, Ms. Smith, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Menendez) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsA BILLTo amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain
			 veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and for
			 other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. 2.Clarification of presumptions of exposure for veterans who served in vicinity of Republic of Vietnam (a)CompensationSubsections (a)(1) and (f) of section 1116 of title 38, United States Code, are amended by inserting (including the territorial seas of such Republic pursuant to the maximum extent authorized by international law) after served in the Republic of Vietnam each place it appears.
 (b)Health careSection 1710(e)(4) of such title is amended by inserting (including the territorial seas of such Republic pursuant to the maximum extent authorized by international law) after served on active duty in the Republic of Vietnam.
 (c)Effective dateThe amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect as of September 25, 1985. 3.Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans who served in Korea (a)In generalChapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1116 the following new section:

					1116A.Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans who served in Korea
						(a)Presumption of service-Connection
 (1)For the purposes of section 1110 of this title, and subject to section 1113 of this title, a disease specified in subsection (b) that becomes manifest as specified in that subsection in a veteran described in paragraph (2) shall be considered to have been incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of such disease during the period of such service.
 (2)A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who, during active military, naval, or air service, served in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), during the period beginning on September 1, 1967, and ending on August 31, 1971.
 (b)DiseasesA disease specified in this subsection is— (1)a disease specified in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of section 1116 of this title that becomes manifest as specified in that paragraph; or
 (2)any additional disease that— (A)the Secretary determines in regulations warrants a presumption of service-connection by reason of having positive association with exposure to an herbicide agent; and
 (B)becomes manifest within any period prescribed in such regulations. (c)Herbicide agentFor purposes of this section, the term herbicide agent has the meaning given such term in section 1821(d) of this title..
 (b)Clerical amendmentThe table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1116 the following new item:

						1116A. Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans who served in Korea..
			4.Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born with spina bifida
 (a)In generalSubchapter III of chapter 18 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

					1822.Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born with spina bifida
 (a)Benefits authorizedThe Secretary may provide to any child of a veteran of covered service in Thailand who is suffering from spina bifida the health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary allowance required to be paid to a child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina bifida under subchapter I of this chapter as if such child of a veteran of covered service in Thailand were a child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina bifida under such subchapter.
 (b)Spina bifida conditions coveredThis section applies with respect to all forms and manifestations of spina bifida, except spina bifida occulta.
 (c)Veteran of covered service in ThailandFor purposes of this section, a veteran of covered service in Thailand is any individual, without regard to the characterization of that individual's service, who—
 (1)served in the active military, naval, or air service in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; and
 (2)is determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have been exposed to a herbicide agent during such service in Thailand.
 (d)Herbicide agentFor purposes of this section, the term herbicide agent means a chemical in a herbicide used in support of United States and allied military operations in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975..
 (b)Conforming amendment to definition of childSection 1831(1) of such title is amended— (1)in subparagraph (B)—
 (A)by striking subchapter III of this chapter and inserting section 1821 of this title; and (B)in clause (i), by striking section 1821 of this title and inserting that section; and
 (2)by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:  (C)For purposes of section 1822 of this title, an individual, regardless of age or marital status, who—
 (i)is the natural child of a veteran of covered service in Thailand (as determined for purposes of that section); and
 (ii)was conceived after the date on which that veteran first entered service described in subsection (c) of that section..
				(c)Clerical amendments
 (1)Subchapter headingThe heading for subchapter III of chapter 18 of such title is amended by inserting and Thailand after Korea. (2)Table of sectionsThe table of sections at the beginning of chapter 18 of such title is amended—
 (A)by striking the item relating to subchapter III and inserting the following new item:   Subchapter III—Children of Certain Korea and Thailand Service Veterans Born with Spina Bifida; and(B)by inserting after the item relating to section 1821 the following new item:

								1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born with spina bifida..
 (d)ReportNot later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report identifying—
 (1)the military installations of the United States located in Thailand during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, at which an herbicide agent (as defined in section 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)) was actively used; and
 (2)the period of such use. 5.Updated report on certain Gulf War Illness studyNot later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate an updated report on the findings, as of the date of the updated report, of the Follow-Up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans under the epidemiology program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.


115 SRES 544 ATS: Celebrating June 11, 2018, as the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Coral Reef Task Force.
U.S. Senate
2018-06-12
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

		III
		115th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		S. RES. 544
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			June 12, 2018
			Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

		RESOLUTION
		Celebrating June 11, 2018, as the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Coral
			 Reef Task Force.

 Whereas 2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Coral Reef Task Force;
 Whereas the United States Coral Reef Task Force— (1)was established under Executive Order 13089 (63 Fed. Reg. 32701; relating to coral reef protection) on June 11, 1998, to preserve and protect the biodiversity, health, heritage, and social and economic value of U.S. coral reef ecosystems and the marine environment;
 (2)is composed of 12 Federal agencies, 7 States and territories of the United States, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau; and
 (3)helps build partnerships, develop strategies, and provide support to carry out on-the-ground actions to conserve coral reefs;
 Whereas more than 50 percent of all species in federally managed fisheries depend on coral reefs at some stage during their life cycles;
 Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems are havens for biological diversity and abundance, providing important habitats, spawning areas, and nursery grounds for fish, crustaceans, algae, and other species;
 Whereas, in November 2016, the International Coral Reef Initiative— (1)declared 2018 as the International Year of the Reef for the third time; and
 (2)encouraged— (A)strengthening awareness globally about the value of, and threats to, coral reefs and associated ecosystems;
 (B)promoting partnerships between governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society on the management of coral reefs;
 (C)identifying and implementing effective management strategies for conservation, increased resiliency, and sustainable use of coral reefs and associated ecosystems; and
 (D)promoting and sharing information on best practices relating to sustainable coral reef management strategies;
 Whereas coral reefs— (1)directly benefit the economy of the United States by supporting coastal tourism, fisheries, biomedicine development, and traditional and cultural uses; and
 (2)provide an indirect economic benefit in the form of shoreline protection from high seas and severe storm surge from hurricanes and tsunamis;
 Whereas coral reefs face ongoing threats from changing ocean conditions, nutrient pollution from coastal runoff, invasive species, recurring disease outbreaks and bleaching events, and poor coastal resource management;
 Whereas approximately 1/3 of the coral reefs in the world are degraded, and another 1/3 of coral reefs are at risk of further degradation in the next few decades without effective management and restoration; and
 Whereas the conservation and restoration of healthy, fully functioning coral reefs helps to sustain resilient coasts and vibrant economies by providing food, promoting cultural values, supporting livelihoods, and protecting human health and safety and coastal properties: Now, therefore, be it

 That the Senate celebrates June 11, 2018, as the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Coral Reef Task Force in order to—
 (1)highlight the importance of the coral reefs of the United States; (2)acknowledge the important research and management accomplishments of the United States Coral Reef Task Force; and
 (3)encourage a continued focus on efforts to protect and restore coral reef ecosystems of the United States.


116 HR 5616 IH: Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act of 2020
U.S. House of Representatives
2020-01-15
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I116th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 5616IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJanuary 15, 2020Mr. McKinley (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Reschenthaler, Mr. Mooney of West Virginia, and Mrs. Miller) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsA BILLTo require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress reports on patient safety and
			 quality of care at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs,
			 and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act of 2020. 2.Department of Veterans Affairs reports on patient safety and quality of care (a)Report on patient safety and quality of care (1)In generalNot later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report regarding the policies and procedures of the Department relating to patient safety and quality of care and the steps that the Department has taken to make improvements in patient safety and quality of care at medical centers of the Department.
 (2)ElementsThe report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A)A description of the policies and procedures of the Department and improvements made by the Department with respect to the following:
 (i)How often the Department reviews or inspects patient safety at medical centers of the Department. (ii)What triggers the aggregated review process at medical centers of the Department.
 (iii)What controls the Department has in place for controlled and other high-risk substances, including the following:
 (I)Access to such substances by staff. (II)What medications are dispensed via automation.
 (III)What systems are in place to ensure proper matching of the correct medication to the correct patient.
 (IV)Controls of items such as medication carts and pill bottles and vials. (V)Monitoring of the dispensing of medication within medical centers of the Department, including monitoring of unauthorized dispensing.
 (iv)How the Department monitors contact between patients and employees of the Department, including how employees are monitored and tracked at medical centers of the Department when entering and exiting the room of a patient.
 (v)How comprehensively the Department uses video monitoring systems in medical centers of the Department to enhance patient safety, security, and quality of care.
 (vi)How the Department tracks and reports deaths at medical centers of the Department at the local level, Veterans Integrated Service Network level, and national level.
 (vii)The procedures of the Department to alert local, regional, and Department-wide leadership when there is a statistically abnormal number of deaths at a medical center of the Department, including—
 (I)the manner and frequency in which such alerts are made; and (II)what is included in such an alert, such as the nature of death and where within the medical center the death occurred.
 (viii)The use of root cause analyses with respect to patient deaths in medical centers of the Department, including—
 (I)what threshold triggers a root cause analysis for a patient death; (II)who conducts the root cause analysis; and
 (III)how root cause analyses determine whether a patient death is suspicious or not. (ix)What triggers a patient safety alert, including how many suspicious deaths cause a patient safety alert to be triggered.
 (x)The situations in which an autopsy report is ordered for deaths at hospitals of the Department, including an identification of—
 (I)when the medical examiner is called to review a patient death; and (II)the official or officials that decide such a review is necessary.
 (xi)The method for family members of a patient who died at a medical center of the Department to request an investigation into that death.
 (xii)The opportunities that exist for family members of a patient who died at a medical center of the Department to request an autopsy for that death.
 (xiii)The methods in place for employees of the Department to report suspicious deaths at medical centers of the Department.
 (xiv)The steps taken by the Department if an employee of the Department is suspected to be implicated in a suspicious death at a medical center of the Department, including—
 (I)actions to remove or suspend that individual from patient care or temporarily reassign that individual and the speed at which that action occurs; and
 (II)steps taken to ensure that other medical centers of the Department and other non-Department medical centers are aware of the suspected role of the individual in a suspicious death.
 (xv)In the case of the suspicious death of an individual while under care at a medical center of the Department, the methods used by the Department to inform the family members of that individual.
 (xvi)The policy of the Department for communicating to the public when a suspicious death occurs at a medical center of the Department.
 (B)A description of any additional authorities or resources needed from Congress to implement any of the actions, changes to policy, or other matters included in the report required under paragraph (1).
					(b)Report on deaths at Louis A. Johnson Medical Center
 (1)In generalNot later than 60 days after the date on which the Attorney General indicates that any investigation or trial related to the suspicious deaths of veterans at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia (in this subsection referred to as the Facility), that occurred during 2017 and 2018 has sufficiently concluded, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report describing—
 (A)the events that occurred during that period related to those suspicious deaths; and (B)actions taken at the Facility and throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs to prevent any similar reoccurrence of the issues that contributed to those suspicious deaths.
 (2)ElementsThe report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A)A timeline of events that occurred at the Facility relating to the suspicious deaths described in paragraph (1) beginning the moment those deaths were first determined to be suspicious, including any notifications to—
 (i)leadership of the Facility; (ii)leadership of the Veterans Integrated Service Network in which the Facility is located;
 (iii)leadership at the central office of the Department; and (iv)the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
 (B)A description of the actions taken by leadership of the Facility, the Veterans Integrated Service Network in which the Facility is located, and the central office of the Department in response to the suspicious deaths, including responses to notifications under subparagraph (A).
 (C)A description of the actions, including root cause analyses, autopsies, or other activities that were conducted after each of the suspicious deaths.
 (D)A description of the changes made by the Department since the suspicious deaths to procedures to control access within medical centers of the Department to controlled and non-controlled substances to prevent harm to patients.
 (E)A description of the changes made by the Department to its nationwide controlled substance and non-controlled substance policies as a result of the suspicious deaths.
 (F)A description of the changes planned or made by the Department to its video surveillance at medical centers of the Department to improve patient safety and quality of care in response to the suspicious deaths.
 (G)An analysis of the review of sentinel events conducted at the Facility in response to the suspicious deaths and whether that review was conducted consistent with policies and procedures of the Department.
 (H)A description of the steps the Department has taken or will take to improve the monitoring of the credentials of employees of the Department to ensure the validity of those credentials, including all employees that interact with patients in the provision of medical care.
 (I)A description of the steps the Department has taken or will take to monitor and mitigate the behavior of employee bad actors, including those who attempt to conceal their mistreatment of veteran patients.
 (J)A description of the steps the Department has taken or will take to enhance or create new monitoring systems that—
 (i)automatically collect and analyze data from medical centers of the Department and monitor for warning signs or unusual health patterns that may indicate a health safety or quality problem at a particular medical center; and
 (ii)automatically share those warnings with other medical centers of the Department, relevant Veterans Integrated Service Networks, and officials of the central office of the Department.
 (K)A description of the accountability actions that have been taken at the Facility to remove or discipline employees who significantly participated in the actions that contributed to the suspicious deaths.
 (L)A description of the system-wide reporting process that the Department will or has implemented to ensure that relevant employees are properly reported, when applicable, to the National Practitioner Data Bank of the Department of Health and Human Services, the applicable State licensing boards, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other relevant entities.
 (M)A description of any additional authorities or resources needed from Congress to implement any of the recommendations or findings included in the report required under paragraph (1).
 (N)Such other matters as the Secretary considers necessary.


110 HR 4337 IH: Emergency Relief Tax Check-Off for Our

U.S. House of Representatives
2007-12-06
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

		I
		110th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 4337
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			December 6, 2007
			Mr. Shays (for
			 himself, Mr. Edwards,
			 Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida,
			 Mr. Franks of Arizona,
			 Mr. Manzullo,
			 Mr. Goodlatte, and
			 Mr. Carter) introduced the following
			 bill; which was referred to the Committee
			 on Ways and Means

		A BILL
		To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow
		  individuals an above-the-line deduction for contributions made to the Armed
		  Forces Relief Trust as part of filing their income tax
		  returns.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Emergency Relief Tax Check-Off for Our
			 Armed Forces Act of 2007.
		2.Above-the-line
			 deduction for certain contributions to the armed forces relief
			 trustSection 62(a) of the
			 Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining adjusted gross income) is amended by
			 inserting after paragraph (21) the following new paragraph:

				(22)Certain
				contributions to armed forces relief trustIn the case of an
				individual, the deduction allowed by section 170 to the extent it does not
				exceed the lesser of—
					(A)the amount
				contributed by the taxpayer pursuant to the designation procedure under section
				6097, or
					(B)$1,000 ($2,000 in
				the case of a joint
				return).
					.
		3.Designation of
			 overpayments and contributions for the armed forces relief trust
			(a)In
			 generalSubchapter A of
			 chapter 61 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end
			 the following new part:

					IXDesignation of
				overpayments and contributions for the armed forces relief trust

							Sec. 6097. Designation.

						6097.Designation
							(a)In
				generalIn the case of an
				individual, with respect to each taxpayer's return for the taxable year of the
				tax imposed by chapter 1, such taxpayer may designate that—
								(1)a specified portion (but not less than $1)
				of any overpayment of tax for such taxable year, and
								(2)any cash contribution which the taxpayer
				includes with such return,
								shall be
				contributed to the Armed Forces Relief Trust.(b)Manner and time
				of designationA designation
				under subsection (a) may be made with respect to any taxable year only at the
				time of filing the return of the tax imposed by chapter 1 for such taxable
				year. Such designation shall be made in such manner as the Secretary prescribes
				by regulations except that such designation shall be made either on the first
				page of the return or on the page bearing the taxpayer's signature.
							(c)Overpayments
				treated as refundedFor
				purposes of this title, any portion of an overpayment of tax designated under
				subsection (a) shall be treated as being refunded to the taxpayer as of the
				last date prescribed for filing the return of tax imposed by chapter 1
				(determined without regard to extensions) or, if later, the date the return is
				filed.
							(d)ExplanationThe Secretary shall include in the general
				instructions for filing returns by individuals of the tax imposed by chapter
				1—
								(1)a description of
				the deduction under section 62(a)(22) and the designation procedure under this
				section,
								(2)an explanation
				that charitable contributions to the Armed Forces Relief Trust that are not
				described in section 62(a)(22) are still allowable as a deduction to taxpayers
				who itemize deductions, and
								(3)a notice that the
				use of funds contributed to the Armed Forces Relief Trust under this section
				shall be determined by the Advisory Board established under subsection
				(e).
								(e)Advisory
				board
								(1)Appointment
									(A)In
				generalThere is established
				an advisory board for the Armed Forces Relief Trust. The members of such board
				shall be appointed as follows:
										(i)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Committee on Finance of the Senate.
										(ii)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
										(iii)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
										(iv)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
										(v)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Joint Committee on Taxation.
										(vi)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
										(vii)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
										(viii)One individual appointed by the Chairman of
				the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
										(ix)One individual appointed by the President
				from each of the following: the Army Emergency Relief Society, the Navy Marine
				Corps Relief Society, the Air Force Aid Society, and the Coast Guard Mutual
				Assistance Relief Society.
										(x)Two individuals appointed by the President
				from 2 veterans service organizations.
										(B)TermThe term of each member of the advisory
				board shall be 3 years, except that any member whose term of office has expired
				shall continue to serve until such member's successor is appointed. No member
				shall serve more than 2 3-year terms.
									(C)Appointment of
				successorsThe appointment of
				any successor member shall be made in the same manner as the original
				appointment. If a member dies or resigns before the expiration of the member's
				term, a successor shall be appointed for the unexpired portion of the term in
				the same manner as the original appointment.
									(D)ProhibitionNo member of the advisory board may be an
				employee of the Federal Government.
									(2)Chairman; vice
				chairman
									(A)DesignationThe President shall designate a chairman
				for the advisory board. The advisory board shall not later than its second
				meeting, by majority vote, designate a vice chairman, who shall perform the
				duties of the chairman in the absence of the chairman.
									(B)Duties of
				chairmanThe chairman shall
				call the meetings of the advisory board, propose meeting agendas, chair the
				meetings, and establish, with the approval of a majority of the members, the
				rules and procedures for such meetings.
									(3)Operations of
				boardThe advisory board
				shall meet semi-annually, for the purpose of providing ongoing advice to the
				Armed Forces Relief Trust regarding the distribution of contributed funds,
				policies governing said distribution, and the administrative costs and
				operations of the Armed Forces Relief Trust. A majority of the members shall
				constitute a quorum. Advisory board members shall serve without compensation.
				While performing duties as a member of the advisory board, each member shall be
				reimbursed under Federal Government travel regulations for travel expenses.
				Such reimbursements and any other reasonable expenses of the advisory board
				shall be provided by the budget of the Executive Office of the
				President.
								(4)Control over
				designated fundsAmounts contributed to the Armed Forces Relief
				Trust pursuant to this section may be used by such Trust only as provided by
				the advisory board.
								(5)AuditThe General Accountability Office shall
				audit the distribution and management of funds of the Armed Forces Relief Trust
				on an annual basis to ensure compliance with statutory and administrative
				directives. The Comptroller General of the United States shall report to the
				advisory board and Congress on the results of such audit.
								(6)ReportsWithin
				60 days after its semi-annual meeting, the advisory board shall submit a
				written report to the President of its action, and of its views and
				recommendations. Any report other than the semi-annual report, shall, if
				approved by a majority of the members of the advisory board, be submitted to
				the President within 60 days after such
				approval.
								.
			(b)Clerical
			 amendmentThe table of parts
			 for subchapter A of chapter 61 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the
			 following new item:

					Part IX. Designation of overpayments
				and contributions for the Armed Forces Relief Trust..

			4.Effective
			 dateThe amendments made by
			 this Act shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006.