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TechnologyDaily Mobile
Hot Bills: House
H.R. 357, Family Entertainment and Copyright ActSponsor: Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas
Introduced: Jan. 25, 2005
Description: H.R. 357 seeks to preserve intellectual property rights and protect children from objectionable material. The bill would allow parents to use technology that enables them to skip over portions of movies they do not wish their children to view. Previously, a service that planned to provide movies with objectionable content removed drew fire from the motion picture industry, which accused organizers of violating intellectual property rights and skewing the director's vision. The bill "is the electronic equivalent of fast-forwarding over unwanted content," Smith said in a statement. The legislation further would make it a felony to use handheld technology to videotape a movie in a theater, and would make it a violation to distribute a copyrighted work prior to its release. It also would ensure libraries have greater access to copyrighted works. The provisions were part of a larger intellectual property package passed last year but not signed into law. The Senate companion measure, S. 167, was signed into law April 27.
H.R. 550, Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility ActSponsor: Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J.
Introduced: Feb. 2, 2005
Description: H.R. 550 would amend a 2002 election law in order to require paper verification of all votes cast electronically in federal elections beginning in 2006. Under the measure, which has more than 50 co-sponsors and the support of groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and VerifiedVoting.org, all e-voting systems would have to produce paper records that could be used in manual audits. The Election Assistance Commission would conduct random audits in 2 percent of all jurisdictions, including at least 1 precinct per county. The measure also would ban the use of undisclosed software, wireless devices within voting systems, and the connection of voting machines to the Internet. The issue gained momentum in the 2003-2004 campaign cycle, with various studies questioning the security and reliability of e-voting machines, but Congress did not act. Other measures focused on the subject include H.R. 278, H.R. 470, H.R. 704, H.R. 939, S. 330 and S. 450
H.R. 840, Ryan Haight Internet Pharmacy Consumer Protection ActSponsor: Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va.
Introduced: Feb. 16, 2005
Description: H.R. 840 would regulate U.S. Internet pharmacies in an effort to prevent the sale of medicines without prescriptions. The legislation is named after Ryan Thomas Haight, who died in 2001 at age 18 from an overdose of narcotics he purchased online. The measure, a goal of the Web site RyansCause.org, would impose new disclosure standards on Internet pharmacies, bar drug sales to people who get prescriptions just based on completing online questionnaires, and authorize state attorney generals to close illegal Internet pharmacies. A Senate companion bill, S. 399, also was introduced. Other bills, including H.R. 753 and S. 184, address the issue of importing prescription drugs over the Internet.
H.R. 1080, Information Protection and Security ActSponsor: Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass.
Introduced: March 3, 2005
Description: H.R. 1080 would establish rules requiring data brokers to better secure their databases. Within six months of the bill's enactment, the FTC would have to develop guidelines for data brokers to ensure that the information they collect is done in the most secure manner possible. Brokers also would have to disclose exactly how much information they have on certain people and to correct any mistakes in a timely manner. Users would have to be authenticated before gaining access to personally identifiable information, and the data brokers would have to track users' access to personally identifiable information. A Senate companion measure, S. 500, was introduced.
H.R. 1323, Public Safety Interoperability Implementation ActSponsor: Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich.
Introduced: March 15, 2005
Description: H.R. 1323 would establish a trust fund to help ensure that the communications systems of emergency responders can "talk" to each other. The money for the fund would come from spectrum auctions after its first three years, and grants would be awarded to needy communities.
H.R. 1355, Child Predator ActSponsor: Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas
Introduced: March 16, 2005
Description: H.R. 1355 aims to improve a registration program for violent sex offenders. The FBI would have to post online recent photographs of and other information on convicted child predators. The Web site would have to enable users to enter particular addresses into and receive information on child predators living in those neighborhoods. Other unspecified search capabilities also would be required. The sex offenders would have to report address changes within 10 days of moving and notify schools, public housing projects and at least two media outlets in their communities of their status. Violations could lead to jail time of up to two years. Poe, a freshman in the House, served as a judge in Houston, Texas, for 22 years and co-founded the Congressional Victims Rights Caucus in 2005. Numerous states have posted sex-offender registries online in recent years. The Supreme Court upheld the practice in March 2003 in separate rulings sanctioning such registries in Alaska and Connecticut.
H.R. 1606, The Online Freedom of Speech ActSponsor: Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas
Introduced: April 13, 2005
Description: Most recently H.R. 1606 was incorporated into H.R. 1316, the 527 Fairness Act. H.R. 1605 would amend a 1971 election campaign law to exclude communications over the Internet from the definition of public communication and protect those that author political Web logs, or blogs and political activists. According to Hensarling, when Congress passed campaign finance reform in 2002, the legislation did not identify the Internet as a target of regulation. Recently a federal judge ruled that the FEC's previous broad exemption of the Internet was impermissible, absent clear direction from Congress. The FEC is considering limits on online political activity. The legislation, "will allow the growth and expansion of new voices and new ideas in our political process free from interference by the federal government," Hensarling said in a statement. A companion bill S. 678 has been introduced in the Senate.
H.R. 1745, The Online Freedom of Speech ActSponsor: Rep. E. Clay Shaw, R-Fla.
Introduced: April 20, 2005
Description: H.R. 1745 would amend the Social Security Act to enhance Social Security number privacy protections, prevent fraudulent and misuse of Social Security numbers, and enhance protection against identity theft. The legislation would restrict the sale and public display of Social Security numbers in the public and private sectors, limits dissemination of Social Security numbers by consumer reporting agencies and would makes it harder for businesses to deny service to customers who refuse to provide a Social Security number. It also would establish civil and criminal penalties for violations. "The federal government requires the use of Social Security numbers and has the responsibility to ensure they are assigned accurately, exchanged only when necessary and protected from indiscriminate disclosure," Shaw said in a statement.
H.R. 1956, Business Activity Tax Simplification ActSponsor: Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.
Introduced: April 28, 2005
Description: H.R. 1956 seeks to regulate certain state taxation of interstate commerce and clarify the issue of the collection of business activity taxes from businesses in other states. The legislation would set a physical presence standard by which states will have the ability to tax businesses that benefit from services provided by the state, while businesses that have no physical presence in a state would be exempt from taxation on business activity in that state. "This legislation sets specific guidelines for when an out-of-state business may be charged a tax for doing business in a state," Goodlatte said in a statement. "Just because a website can be accessed by consumers in a certain state, doesn't mean that state should be able to collect taxes from the website owner."
H.R. 2041, Homeland Security Grant Enhancement ActSponsor: Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del.
Introduced: May 2, 2005
Description: H.R. 2041 is aimed at enhancing Department of Homeland Security grant coordination and simplification. The bill would require the department's secretary, the attorney general, and other designated secretaries of departments providing assistance for emergency response provider preparedness to establish the Interagency Committee to Coordinate and Streamline Homeland Security Grant Programs. The committee would consult with state and local governments and emergency "first responders" regarding their homeland security needs and capabilities. It also would streamline the grant administration by establishing within the department the Office for State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness, which would oversee and coordinate departmental programs for, and relationships with, state and local governments. The legislation also would establish a homeland security information clearinghouse that would assist states, local governments, and emergency response providers with grant information, technical assistance, and other issues.
H.R. 2354, TV Consumer Choice ActSponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
Introduced: May 12, 2005
Description: H.R. 2354 would prohibit the FCC from requiring digital television tuners in television receivers. The bill would reverse the FCC's mandate requiring all television manufacturers to equip their products, except those smaller than 13 inches, with digital television (DTV) tuners by 2007. Lawmakers are considering legislation setting a deadline for the conversion to digital television. Digital tuners allow for televisions to receive digital broadcasts from over-the-air signals when not hooked up to cable or satellite. The FCC claims the rule is necessary for all TV sets to be digitally compatible, according to Sensenbrenner. Sensenbrenner said with the mandate, costs for nearly every television would go up as much as $100. "Although DTV may offer new and exciting technology, costly and wasteful tuners should not be imposed upon television viewers nationwide," Sensenbrenner said in a statement.
H.R. 3132, Children's Safety ActSponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
Introduced: June 30, 2005
Description: H.R. 3132 aims to improve a registration and notification program to ensure that convicted sex offenders register and keep current the information on where they live, work and attend school. The bill also aims to improve verification systems for sex-offender data by requiring monthly verification, in-person verifications every six months, and regular, notarized verification mailings. States would have to have uniform, publicly accessible registration Web sites. "Unfortunately, we're all too familiar with the need for this legislation. We've learned through painful experience that our current child protection efforts aren't sufficient and that more must be done," Sensenbrenner said in a statement. The legislation includes elements of related bills. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill July 27 on a 22-4 vote. The committee held hearings on another sex-offender measure, H.R. 95, and the Senate passed a related bill, S. 792.
H.R. 3333, Rewarding Employers that Abide by the Law and Guaranteeing Uniform Enforcement to Stop Terrorism (REAL GUEST) ActSponsor: Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.
Introduced: July 19, 2005
Description: H.R. 3333 aims to eliminate the H-1B visa program, which reserves employment visas for foreign workers who have earned at least master's degrees from U.S. institutions. The visas are popular in the technology industry. The legislation would require the Labor Department to establish a database of people approved for H-class nonimmigrant status. The database would include all information regarding job skills, education and employment history.
H.R. 3479, Internet Safety and Child Protection ActSponsor: Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah
Introduced: July 27, 2005
Description: H.R. 3479 would require adult Web sites to use age-verification technology similar to that used by online wine sellers. The bill would impose a 25 percent tax on the operators of pornographic Web sites for the amounts charged and would require sites to verify, using FTC-certified software, that all users are at least 18. The measure further would require that banks, credit-card companies, third-party merchants or Internet payment providers only process age-verified pornography transactions. The FTC would require use of age-screening software and would maintain a list of sites that do not comply. A Senate companion bill, S. 1507, also was introduced. Similar provisions were included in the Child Online Protection Act, a 1998 law that has never taken effect.
H.R. 4062, National Biodefense and Pandemic Preparedness ActSponsor: Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.
Introduced: Oct. 17, 2005
Description: H.R. 4062 calls for the integration and coordination of public and private influenza surveillance activities. The bill aims to direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to create a national system for tracking and distributing antiviral medications and vaccines. A similar bill, S. 1880, calls for an electronic network at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so its director can track the stock of available flu vaccines, the demand for them and the rate of delivery.
H.R. 4127, Data Accountability and Trust Act (DATA)Sponsor: Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla.
Introduced: Oct. 25, 2005
Description: H.R. 4127 would require security policies to protect computerized data for the treatment and protection of personal information. The bill would mandate nationwide notice of consumers in the event of a security breach and would pre-empt state information security laws. Revised language contains many of the provisions that committee Democrats had sought. One provision would let consumers access and correct bad information that companies hold about them. Another provision would empower state attorneys general to act on the proposal's terms. The current bill would only give the FTC enforcement power.
H.R. 4194, Internet Anti-Corruption and Free Speech Protection ActSponsor: Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.
Introduced: Nov. 1, 2005
Description: H.R. 4194 was designed to prevent Internet communications from falling under "public communications" rules in federal campaign finance law. The bill aims to protect the authors of Web logs while also preserving a ban on previously unregulated "soft money" in campaigns. The Federal Election Commission eventually adopted rules largely giving bloggers the protections they had sought. Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine, introduced a competing bill, H.R. 4900, that would impose $5,000 limits for individuals who place advertisements online and would set other boundaries for the authors of blogs who post commentary that advocates for federal candidates.
H.R. 4312, Border Security and Terrorism Prevention ActSponsor: Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.
Introduced: Nov. 14, 2005
Description: H.R. 4312 was designed to enhance border security and guarantee the removal of all aliens who attempt to enter the country illegally. The bill would incorporate various surveillance technologies, including cameras, sensors, radar, satellite and unmanned aerial vehicles, into the border-protection strategy. It also would add 1,000 port inspectors over four years to the 17,665 full-time customs and port inspectors, and would increase the deployment of customs and border personnel to areas with high levels of unlawful entry. A related bill, H.R. 5067, would establish operational control over the international land and maritime borders of the United States.
H.R. 4411, Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act Sponsor: Rep. James Leach, R-Iowa
Introduced: Nov. 11, 2005
Description: H.R. 4411 would prohibit financial companies from processing payments to online gambling sites. The measure also incorporates language from a competing House bill authored by Virginia Republican Bob Goodlatte to update a 1961 law barring businesses from using wire transmissions for gambling transactions. The House passed the bill on July 11 by a 317-93 vote.
H.R. 4437, Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control ActSponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
Introduced: Dec. 6, 2005
Description: H.R. 4437 would require all employers to participate in a test program that has been online since 1996. The system lets employers screen the personal information of job applicants against federal databases to determine whether they are eligible to work in the United States. The House passed the measure Dec. 16, 2005. Senate immigration proposals, S. 2454 and S. 2611, have included similar mandates. Related House resolutions, H. Res. 610 and H. Res. 621, aim to enforce U.S. immigration laws.
H.R. 4657, Secure Telephone Operations ActSponsor: Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill.
Introduced: Jan. 1, 2006
Description: H.R. 4657 would make it a federal crime to sell private telephone records. Violators would face fines or up to 10 years of imprisonment for selling private customer information. "The sale of this information is especially dangerous for law enforcement personnel working undercover and for people victimized by stalkers, such as battered women," Lipinski said in a statement. Related bills include H.R. 4709, H.R. 4714, S. 2177 and S. 2178.
H.R. 4709, Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006Sponsor: Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas
Introduced: Feb. 8, 2006
Description: H.R. 4709 would create criminal penalties for the fraudulent sale or solicitation of cellular telephone records. The measure aims to give consumers protections for the confidentiality of their calling records without compromising the interests of law enforcement, emergency services and providers. According to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, the bill would help combat identity theft and protect people from acts of retaliation and domestic violence by those who might buy the information. The House passed the bill on April 25, 2006, by a 409-0 vote. Related bills include H.R. 4657, H.R. 4662, H.R. 4714, S. 2177 and S. 2178.
H.R. 4777, Internet Gambling Prohibition ActSponsor: Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.
Introduced: Feb. 16, 2006
Description: H.R. 4777 would expand to the Internet an existing federal law that criminalizes gambling over telephone wires. The measure also would punish financial institutions that support online gambling. Critics argue that the bill is absolute censorship of the Internet and that it would violate the civil liberties of millions of poker players and enthusiasts. "I have been continuously committed to putting an end to gambling on the Internet," Goodlatte said. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill on a 25-11 vote on May 25, 2006, and the House passed a related measure, H.R. 4411, by a vote of 317-93 on July 11.
H.R. 4859, Federal Family Health Information Technology ActSponsor: Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev.
Introduced: March 2, 2006
Description: H.R. 4859 would mandate portable electronic health records within five years for everyone covered by federal employee health insurance. The bill would require carriers that participate in the federal employee plan to provide e-records for their patients and also would allow individuals to add information including family histories, diet and over-the-counter medications. According to a RAND Corp. study, some $162 billion could be saved annually if the country launches widespread healthcare automation. "We have a wonderful opportunity to improve the quality and delivery of health care for the over 8 million participants in the federal employees health benefits program and at the same time serve as a model to affect change elsewhere," Porter said.
H.R. 4861, Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing ActSponsor: Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-N.J.
Introduced: March 2, 2006
Description: H.R. 4861 would empower the FCC to mandate the inclusion of copy-protection technology in advanced radio systems. It would give the FCC the authority to oversee licensing agreements between digital and satellite radio stations and the makers of radio receivers.
H.R. 4899, Sail Only if Scanned ActSponsor: Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.
Introduced: March 8, 2006
Description: H.R. 4899 would require containers entering the country to be scanned for nuclear weapons and bomb-making materials. The measure would mandate that shipments be examined by devices that measure both radiation and density. "The only way to eliminate vulnerability at our ports is to make 100 percent scanning the policy of the United States," Nadler said. A related bill, H.R. 163, would direct the Homeland Security secretary to create a program encouraging handlers to seal containers after they have been opened.
H.R. 4942, Promoting Anti-terrorism Capabilities Through International Cooperation ActSponsor: Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.
Introduced: March 14, 2006
Description: H.R. 4942 would establish a science and technology office in the Homeland Security Department to promote cooperation among intelligence and security agencies, as well as allies, in the war on terrorism. The bill also calls for developing high-priority technologies to respond to emergencies.
H.R. 5072, Universal Service Reform ActSponsor: Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb.
Introduced: March 30, 2006
Description: H.R. 5072 was designed to modernize the universal service fund, which seeks to provide telephone service to everyone, including people in low-income and rural areas. Terry's legislation would increase the base of contributions into the fund, tighten distribution policies and assist with the rollout of high-speed Internet access. "The legislation will control the spiraling growth of the universal service fund while ensuring that universal service support is available to rural carriers, which rely on it to provide service," said bill co-sponsor Rick Boucher, D-Va.
H.R. 5084, Taxpayer Privacy Protection ActSponsor: Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich.
Introduced: April 4, 2006
Description: H.R. 5084 seeks to protect taxpayer information provided to professional tax preparers. The legislation would prohibit tax preparers from selling information on tax returns to third parties and would restrict the IRS from providing such information to collection agencies or other private firms. "While these tax preparers and other companies may mean no harm, they cannot guarantee that the information will be guarded as closely as most Americans expect," Dingell said. A Senate companion bill, S. 2498, also was introduced.
H.R. 5252, Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006Sponsor: Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas
Introduced: May 1, 2006
Description: H.R. 5252 would permit Bell telephone companies to quickly enter the video marketplace by creating national video-franchising rules. Opposition to the franchising aspect comes from the cable industry and municipalities, which currently collect revenue for franchises granted locally. According to the Congressional Budget Office, implementing the measure would cost less than $7 million in the five years from 2006 to 2011, but the costs imposed on cities and states would be considerably greater -- between $100 million and $350 million -- because the bill would eliminate the ability of local governments to seek additional video-franchising revenues from Bell or cable companies. The issue of network neutrality became a hot topic of debate as the bill moved. The term refers to efforts to prevent unequal treatment of high-speed Internet content. The Energy and Commerce Committee approved the legislation by a 42-11 vote on May 17, 2006, and the House passed it on a 321-101 tally on June 8. Another bill, H.R. 5273, would attempt to strengthen net neutrality safeguards.
H.R. 5273, Network Neutrality ActSponsor: Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass.
Introduced: May 2, 2006
Description: H.R. 5273 is an attempt draw attention to the issue of network neutrality, the concept of preserving unfettered broadband traffic, and to add a floor amendment to a broader telecommunications bill, H.R. 5252. Markey's previous attempts to strengthen the latter measure failed in full committee and subcommittee, so Markey introduced H.R. 5273 as a stand-alone bill. Though the broader legislation contains neutrality safeguards, critics contend that the language is too weak to prevent companies such as AT&T, Time Warner and Verizon Communications from acting as Internet gatekeepers. H.R. 5273 contains stricter language against discrimination of certain types of Internet content.
H.R. 5316, Restoring Emergency Services to Protect Our Nation From Disasters ActSponsor: Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska
Introduced: May 9, 2006
Description: H.R. 5316 would create a job for a presidential appointee to ensure that communications systems within the agency can work together. The goal is to maintain incident-management communications in areas that lose systems during natural disasters. The bill also would require the purchase or improvement of commercially available communications equipment, including satellite devices, and the purchase of mobile equipment to generate emergency power. Related bills include: H.R.3656, H.R.3659, H.R.3685, H.R.3816, H.R.4493, S.1615 and S.2302.
H.R. 5318, Cyber-Security Enhancement and Consumer Data Protection ActSponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
Introduced: May 9, 2006
Description: H.R. 5318 would broaden the scope of what constitutes computer crime and would enhance criminal penalties for such crimes. It would allow database owners to notify law enforcers before notifying people who would be affected, as required by some state laws. The proposed legislation also would make it a crime for owners of personal information databases to deliberately conceal security breaches from law enforcers. According to Laura Parskey, deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Department criminal division, the law should be changed to include stiffer penalties against would-be hackers to become a more effective deterrent. The legislation would require the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review its guidelines and sentencing policies. The commission would need to consider the level of sophistication and planning of crimes, as well as the actual and potential loss suffered by victims.
H.R. 5371, Lawful Intelligence and Surveillance of Terrorists in an Emergency by NSA (LISTEN) ActSponsor: Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif.
Introduced: May 11, 2006
Description: H.R. 5371 would clarify that all foreign intelligence surveillance of Americans is subject to the oversight procedures in the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, particularly in ensuring that law enforcers obtain permission from a special court created under the law to perform wiretaps. The legislation also would authorize more money to help the court approve warrants expeditiously.
H.R. 5417, Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination ActSponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
Introduced: May 18, 2006
Description: H.R. 5417 would require high-speed Internet operators to provide services "on reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms." It further would stipulate that providers interconnect their facilities with other entities and not block or impair Internet customers. After the House Judiciary Committe was denied a referral to H.R. 5252, Sensenbrenner pushed another bill, H.R. 5417, to include strict network neutrality rules. Judiciary adopted the measure on a 20-13 vote, but Sensenbrenner failed to get the language added to H.R. 5252 as an amendment.
H.R. 5418, UntitledSponsor: Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.
Introduced: May 18, 2006
Description: H.R. 5418 would establish a test project in at least five U.S. district courts to increase expertise on the technical issues facing patent law. Each court would be assigned a clerk with expertise in patent law. The bill also would allocate funding to provide educational opportunities to judges who agree to work with the program. "Roughly 40 percent of all patent cases in federal district courts are reversed and ultimately decided by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals," Issa said. "This legislation is designed to help courts reduce errors that lead to appeals."
H.R. 5422, UntitledSponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
Introduced: May 18, 2006
Description: H.R. 5422 would make permanent the moratorium on state taxation of Internet access and on multiple and discriminatory taxes on e-commerce. The bill would allow states that imposed certain taxes on Internet access prior to Oct. 1, 1998, to retain those taxes if they enact statutes before Nov. 1, 2007, or Nov. 1, 2006, for telecommunications services tax. Related bills include H.R. 1684, H.R. 1685, H.R. 4862 and S. 849.
H.R. 5464, Veterans Identity Protection ActSponsor: Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.
Introduced: May 24, 2006
Description: H.R. 5464 seeks to improve the information security practices at the Veterans Affairs Department. The measure is a response to the data breach that occurred at the department in May 2006. It would require the VA secretary to inform all affected veterans of the loss of data and provide free credit reports to veterans once every three months for one year.
H.R. 5467, Veterans Identity Security ActSponsor: Rep. Thelma Drake, R-Va.
Introduced: May 24, 2006
Description: H.R. 5467 would make it a federal crime for officials at the Veterans Affairs Department to negligently or maliciously disclose the sensitive, personal information of the nation's veterans. According to Drake, the negligence of the VA in protecting information goes beyond a violation in office policy and should be seen as criminal. The measure, introduced after a potential data breach in May 2006, would hold those who compromise veterans' security to a legal standard comparable to those who would compromise national security.
H.R. 5553, Section 115 Reform ActSponsor: Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas
Introduced: June 8, 2006
Description: H.R. 5553 would enable mechanical licensing of all music in order to broaden consumer choice. The legislation would reform Section 115 of the Copyright Act, which addresses mechanical licensing. The measure would pave the way for legal music services to offer a complete range of services to consumers, eliminating the limitations that products like iTunes and Yahoo's e-music offering face when serving consumer demand. The bill also would enable the Copyright Royalty Board to set final rates and then pay artists their escrow earnings from years ago. The bill aims to benefit consumers by enabling mechanical licensing of all music, not just certain artists or certain genres, and aims to help retailers by covering in-store music purchases of hybrid products.
H.R. 5559, Independent Health Record Bank ActSponsor: Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
Introduced: June 8, 2006
Description: H.R. 5559 would establish a nationwide e-health network to improve healthcare quality, reduce medical errors, promote wellness, ensure that appropriate information in making medical decisions is easily accessible, promote competitiveness and ensure confidentiality. The bill also aims to promote consumer participation in the program through tax incentives.
H.R. 5582, Notification of Risk to Personal Data ActSponsor: Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif.
Introduced: June 12, 2006
Description: H.R. 5582 would require federal agencies to disclose any unauthorized procurement of electronic data to potential victims. The legislation also would extend the same requirements to corporations, institutions and individuals who engage in interstate commerce. The bill would impose fines on agencies of $1,000 for each individual whose information was illegally acquired. "We cannot rely on these entities to report such theft on their own, since they might try to cover up the data loss to avoid adverse publicity," Lantos said.
H.R. 5749, Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating the Exploitation of Today's Youth (SAFETY) ActSponsor: Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla.
Introduced: July 10, 2006
Description: H.R. 5749 would create penalties for operators of child pornography Web sites and would hold Internet and financial companies accountable for pornography transactions. The bill aims to give victims new avenues to seek civil damages from pornographers. The legislation would require labels on porn sites, as well as provide new resources to law enforcement in prosecuting such cases. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., introduced a similiar bill, S. 3499, which also aims to create federal offenses and harsher penalties to those who produce or assist with child porn, sex-trafficking and sexual abuse.
H.R. 5759, Foundations for Emergency Management ActSponsor: Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Fla.
Introduced: July 11, 2006
Description: H.R. 5759 aims to reform emergency management strategies and prevent waste, fraud and abuse. The bill would mandate a real-time asset-tracking system, as well as a national operations center to enhance communications and awareness during national emergencies. The legislation also would establish the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the new directorate for emergency management within the Homeland Security Department.
H.R. 5785, Warning, Alert and Response Network ActSponsor: Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill.
Introduced: July 13, 2006
Description: H.R. 5785 would create a unified hazard-alert system. The bill aims to modernize the nation's alert system across all means of technology, including wireless devices, the Internet, television, radio and public warning systems.
H.R. 5825, Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act Sponsor: Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M.
Introduced: July 18, 2006
Description: H.R. 5825 aims to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to allow the electronic surveillance of individuals in the United States when there is "reasonable belief" that they are communicating with terrorist groups. The bill also aims to clarify the roles of the three branches of government in the oversight of such programs.
H.R. 5838, Federal Agency Data Breach Notification Act Sponsor: Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va.
Introduced: July 19, 2006
Description: H.R. 5838 would require federal agencies to notify the public of any data breaches involving sensitive information. The bill would require the White House Office of Management and Budget to establish standards for agencies to follow in the event of data thefts.
H.R. 5906, Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Health Services ActSponsor: Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minn.
Introduced: July 26, 2006
Description: H.R. 5906 would establish a consortium on the impact of technology in aging health services. The consortium would study how technological advances can help support the elderly, families and communities now that the demand for health care is increasing. The bill aims to bring public and private interests together to provide better health care at reduced costs and to enable seniors to live independently. Fellow Minnesota Republican Norm Coleman introduced a Senate companion bill, S. 3739.
H.R. 5919, Family Choice ActSponsor: Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill.
Introduced: July 27, 2006
Description: H.R. 5919 is designed to prompt cable companies to offer programming on a per-channel basis, alleviating parents' concerns over "indecent" programming. The bill also would require that cable providers offer subscribers the option of a family tier of programming, or a group of channels included in the basic tier except for those rated unsuitable for children between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. "This legislation will empower parents by giving them real choices for family-friendly programming," Lipinski said. "And it does so without imposing a single, one-size-fits-all mandate on providers."
H.R. 5944, Stop Child Pornographers and Predators ActSponsor: Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.
Introduced: July 27, 2006
Description: H.R. 5944 would increase the penalties placed on child pornographers to up to life imprisonment. The bill also aims to ensure that a provision under current law that appears to be unconstitutional would not threaten protections for children. The measure is a response a 2002 Supreme Court ruling that a congressional ban on virtual child pornography is unconstitutional. According to Nadler, the ruling threatens an act that offers even broader protections to children and families. "Our current law is under threat because the Supreme Court has ruled similar legislation unconstitutional, and it would be irresponsible for us to wait around until the law gets thrown out," Nadler said. "This bill would ensure that tough laws stay on the books, and would up the punishment for offenders right away."
H.R. 6061, Secure Fence ActSponsor: Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.
Introduced: Sept. 13, 2006
Description: H.R. 6061 would create 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, and would establish cameras, ground sensors and unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor the border. The House passed the measure Sept. 13 by a 283-138 vote. Democrats expressed concern about the bill, stating that the fence represents a new "Berlin wall" that would drive illegal immigrants to travel into the dangerous desert in order to cross into the country.
H.R. 6069, Clean Contracting ActSponsor: Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
Introduced: Sept. 13, 2006
Description: H.R. 6069 aims to establish more transparent practices for government contracting by posting contractor information online. The bill aims to promote competition in the award of contracts, prevent abuse and corruption in contracting, increase oversight, and make contracting practices more transparent. The bill also aims to improve the federal procurement data system so that it is user-friendly and publicy accessible at no cost.
H.R. 6155, Sponsor: Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M.
Introduced: Sept. 21, 2006
Description: H.R. 6155 would provide incentives for states to establish criminal registries on drug dealers. The bill also would require state attorneys general to establish a national registry and notification program.
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