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

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

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

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

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

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

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

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

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

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

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

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

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

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

SEC. 8. FUNDING.

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

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

question:
SECTION 1. MODIFICATIONS AND INCREASED VOLUME CAP WITH RESPECT TO
QUALIFIED MORTGAGE BONDS.

(a) Use of Qualified Mortgage Bonds Proceeds for Subprime
Refinancing Loans.--Section 143(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
(relating to other definitions and special rules) is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
''(12) Special rules for subprime refinancings.--
''(A) In general.--In the case of a residence which
was originally financed by the mortgagor through a
qualified subprime loan, this section shall be applied
with the following modifications:
''(i) Subsection (i)(1) (relating to
mortgages must be new mortgages) shall not
apply.
''(ii) Subsection (a)(2)(D)(i) shall be
applied by substituting '12-month period' for
'42-month period' each place it appears.
''(iii) Subsection (d) (relating to 3-year
requirement) shall not apply.
''(iv) Subsection (e) (relating to purchase
price requirement) shall be applied by using
the market value of the residence at the time
of refinancing in lieu of the acquisition cost.
''(B) Qualified subprime loan.--
''(i) In general.--The term 'qualified
subprime loan' means an adjustable rate single-
family residential mortgage loan originated
after December 31, 2001, and before January 1,
2008, that the bond issuer determines has
characteristics that suggest both a reasonably
foreseeable risk of default and a reasonable
potential to avoid default with the benefit of
a lower cost refinancing.
''(ii) Considerations.--In making the
determination under clause (i), the bond issuer
may consider the following characteristics:
''(I) Loan payments which are
scheduled to increase by more than 10
percent after December 31, 2007, and
before January 1, 2011.
''(II) A loan-to-value ratio of 97
percent or greater at the time of the
original mortgage loan or at the time
of the refinancing of such loan after
adjustment for any decline in the fair
market value of the residence.
''(III) A borrower whose
creditworthiness is relatively low in
comparison to a prime borrower, based
on a lower credit score, such as a Fair
Isaac Credit Organization credit score
at the time of the original subprime
loan of less than 660 and the absence
of an increase in such score by more
than 10 percent since the time of the
original loan.
''(IV) Whether loan payments on the
original mortgage loan generally have
been made in a current, timely manner,
subject only to isolated late payments.
''(C) Termination.--This paragraph shall not apply
to any bonds issued after December 31, 2010.''.
(b) Increased Volume Cap for Qualified Mortgage Bonds.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (d) of section 146 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end
the following new paragraph:
''(5) Increase and set aside for qualified mortgage bonds
for 2008.--
''(A) In general.--The State ceiling for calendar
year 2008 shall be increased by $15,000,000,000.
''(B) Set aside.--
''(i) In general.--Not less than an amount
equal to each State's allocable share of the
increase in the State ceiling under
subparagraph (A) shall be allocated solely for
the purpose of a qualified mortgage issue which
meets the requirement clause (ii).
''(ii) Requirement.--A qualified mortgage
issue meets the requirement of this clause if
such issue meets the requirement of section
143(a)(2)(D)(i) (determined by substituting
'12-month period' for '42-month period' each
place it appears).''.
(2) Carryforward of unused limitations.--Subsection (f) of
section 146 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
''(6) Special rules for increased volume cap under
subsection (d)(5).--No amount which is attributable to the
increase under subsection (d)(5) may be used--
''(A) for a carryforward purpose other than issuing
qualified mortgage bonds, and
''(B) to issue any bond after calendar year
2010.''.
(c) Alternative Minimum Tax.--
(1) In general.--Clause (ii) of section 57(a)(5)(C) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ''shall
not include'' and all that follows and inserting ''shall not
include--
''(I) any qualified 501(c)(3) bond
(as defined in section 145), or
''(II) any qualified mortgage bond
(as defined in section 143(a)) or
qualified veterans' mortgage bond (as
defined in section 143(b)) issued after
December 31, 2007, and before January
1, 2011.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--The heading for section
57(a)(5)(C)(ii) is amended by striking ''qualified 501(c)(3)
bonds'' and inserting ''certain bonds''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to bonds issued after December 31, 2007.
answer:
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow proceeds of qualified mortgage bonds to be used to refinance certain residential subprime loans issued between 2002 and 2008; (2) increase in 2008 limitations on issuance amounts for qualified mortgage bonds; and (3) exempt tax-exempt interest on qualified mortgage or veterans' mortgage bonds issued before 2011 from the alternative minimum tax.

question:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Teacher Center Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds as follows:
(1) There are not enough qualified teachers in the Nation's
classrooms, and an unprecedented number of teachers will retire
over the next 5 years. Over the next decade, the Nation will
need to bring 2,000,000 new teachers into public schools.
(2) Too many teachers do not receive adequate preparation
for their jobs.
(3) More than one-third of children in grades 7 through 12
are taught by a teacher who lacks both a college major and
certification in the subject being taught. Rates of ''out-of-
field teaching'' are especially high in high-poverty schools.
(4) Teacher turnover is a serious problem, particularly in
urban and rural areas. Over one-third of new teachers leave the
profession within their first 3 years of teaching, and 14
percent of new teachers leave the field within the first year.
After 5 years--the average time it takes for teachers to
maximize students' learning--half of all new teachers will have
exited the profession. Rates of teacher attrition are highest
in high-poverty schools. Between 2000 and 2001, 1 out of 5
teachers in the Nation's high-poverty schools either left to
teach in another school or dropped out of teaching altogether.
(5) African-American, Latino, and low-income students are
much less likely than other students to have highly-qualified
teachers.
(6) Research shows that individual teachers have a great
impact on how well their students learn. The most effective
teachers have been shown to be able to boost their pupils'
learning by a full grade level relative to students taught by
less effective teachers.
(7) Only 16 States finance new teacher induction programs,
and fewer still require inductees to be matched with mentors
who teach the same subject.
(8) Large-scale studies of effective professional
development have documented that student achievement and
teacher learning increases when professional development is
teacher-led, ongoing, and collaborative.
(9) Research shows that the characteristics of successful
professional development include a focus on concrete classroom
applications and practice, and opportunities for teacher
observation, critique, reflection, group support, and
collaboration.
(10) Data on school reform shows that teachers are
attracted to and continue to teach in academically challenged
schools when appropriate supports are in place to help them
succeed. Appropriate supports include high-quality induction
programs, job-embedded professional development, and small
classes which allow teachers to tailor instruction to meet the
needs of individual students.

SEC. 3. IMPROVING RETENTION OF AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PUBLIC
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

(a) In General.--Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end
the following:

''PART E--TEACHER RETENTION

''SEC. 2501. IMPROVING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH
TEACHER CENTERS.

''(a) Grants.--The Secretary may make grants to eligible entities
for the establishment and operation of new teacher centers or the
support of existing teacher centers.
''(b) Special Consideration.--In making grants under this section,
the Secretary shall give special consideration to any application
submitted by an eligible entity that is--
''(1) a high-need local educational agency; or
''(2) a consortium that includes at least one high-need
local educational agency.
''(c) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be for a
period of 3 years.
''(d) Required Activities.--A teacher center receiving assistance
under this section shall carry out each of the following activities:
''(1) Providing high-quality professional development to
teachers to assist the teachers in improving their knowledge,
skills, and teaching practices in order to help students to
improve the students' achievement and meet State academic
standards.
''(2) Providing teachers with information on developments
in curricula, assessments, and educational research, including
the manner in which the research and data can be used to
improve teaching skills and practice.
''(3) Providing training and support for new teachers.
''(e) Permissible Activities.--A teacher center may use assistance
under this section for any of the following:
''(1) Assessing the professional development needs of the
teachers and other instructional school employees, such as
librarians, counselors, and paraprofessionals, to be served by
the center.
''(2) Providing intensive support to staff to improve
instruction in literacy, mathematics, science, and other
curricular areas necessary to provide a well-rounded education
to students.
''(3) Providing support to mentors working with new
teachers.
''(4) Providing training in effective instructional
services and classroom management strategies for mainstream
teachers serving students with disabilities and students with
limited English proficiency.
''(5) Enabling teachers to engage in study groups and other
collaborative activities and collegial interactions regarding
instruction.
''(6) Paying for release time and substitute teachers in
order to enable teachers to participate in the activities of
the teacher center.
''(7) Creating libraries of professional materials and
educational technology.
''(8) Providing high-quality professional development for
other instructional staff, such as paraprofessionals,
librarians, and counselors.
''(9) Assisting teachers to become highly qualified and
paraprofessionals to become teachers.
''(10) Assisting paraprofessionals to meet the requirements
of section 1119.
''(11) Developing curricula.
''(12) Incorporating additional on-line professional
development resources for participants.
''(13) Providing funding for individual- or group-initiated
classroom projects.
''(14) Developing partnerships with businesses and
community-based organizations.
''(15) Establishing a teacher center site.
''(f) Teacher Center Policy Board.--
''(1) In general.--A teacher center receiving assistance
under this section shall be operated under the supervision of a
teacher center policy board.
''(2) Membership.--
''(A) Teacher representatives.--The majority of the
members of a teacher center policy board shall be
representatives of, and selected by, the elementary and
secondary school teachers to be served by the teacher
center. Such representatives shall be selected through
the teacher organization, or if there is no teacher
organization, by the teachers directly.
''(B) Other representatives.--The members of a
teacher center policy board--
''(i) shall include at least 2 members who
are representatives of, or designated by, the
school board of the local educational agency to
be served by the teacher center;
''(ii) shall include at least 1 member who
is a representative of, and is designated by,
the institutions of higher education (with
departments or schools of education) located in
the area; and
''(iii) may include paraprofessionals.
''(g) Application.--
''(1) In general.--To seek a grant under this section, an
eligible entity shall submit an application at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such information as the
Secretary may reasonably require.
''(2) Assurance of compliance.--An application under
paragraph (1) shall include an assurance that the eligible
entity will require any teacher center receiving assistance
through the grant to comply with the requirements of this
section.
''(3) Teacher center policy board.--An application under
paragraph (1) shall include the following:
''(A) An assurance that--
''(i) the eligible entity has established a
teacher center policy board;
''(ii) the board participated fully in the
preparation of the application; and
''(iii) the board approved the application
as submitted.
''(B) A description of the membership of the board
and the method of selection of the membership.
''(h) Definitions.--In this section:
''(1) The term 'eligible entity' means a local educational
agency or a consortium of 2 or more local educational agencies.
''(2) The term 'high-need' means, with respect to an
elementary school or a secondary school, a school--
''(A) that serves an eligible school attendance
area (as defined in section 1113) in which not less
than 65 percent of the children are from low-income
families, based on the number of children eligible for
free and reduced priced lunches under the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act; or
''(B) in which not less than 65 percent of the
children enrolled are from such families.
''(3) The term 'high-need local educational agency' means a
local educational agency--
''(A) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children
from families with incomes below the poverty line, or
for which not less than 20 percent of the children
served by the agency are from families with incomes
below the poverty line; and
''(B) that is having or expected to have difficulty
filling teacher vacancies or hiring new teachers who
are highly qualified.
''(4) The term 'teacher center policy board' means a
teacher center policy board described in subsection (f).
''(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for fiscal year
2007 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding
fiscal years.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents at section 2 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et
seq.) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2441
of such Act the following new items:

''Part E--Teacher Retention

''Sec. 2501. Improving professional development opportunities.''.
answer:
Teacher Center Act of 2006 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or consortiums of LEAs for the establishment and operation of new teacher centers or the support of existing centers. Requires that special consideration be given to high-need LEAs that serve a specified number or percentage of poor children and face difficulties in recruiting highly qualified teachers.

Requires teacher centers established or supported with such funds to provide: (1) high-quality professional development to teachers that will enable them to help students improve their achievement and meet state academic standards; (2) teachers with information on developments in curricula, assessments, and educational research; and (3) training and support for new teachers. Lists other permissible uses of such funds by teacher centers. Conditions a center's receipt of such assistance on its operation under the supervision of a teacher center policy board, the majority of whose members must be representatives of, and selected by, the elementary and secondary school teachers to be served by the center.