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Citing the United States’ threatened position in the global economy, Congressman Ehlers and other House Science Committee members from both parties today urged greater federal investment in K through 12 education and scientific research and development.
To read the complete press release, please click here.
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Congressman Ehlers and House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert are urging the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to implement the recommendations outlined in a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on voting system security and reliability.
To read the complete press release, please click here.
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Congressman Ehlers joined his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives in supporting a resolution designating Oct. 16-22, 2005 as “National Chemistry Week.” The resolution, House Resolution 457, recognized “that the important contributions of chemical scientists and engineers to technological progress and the health of many industries have created new jobs, boosted economic growth, and improved the nation’s health and standard of living.”
To read Congressman Ehlers' complete comments in support of this resolution, please click here.
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President Bush Monday nominated Ben Bernanke, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, to replace Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan as leader of the nation’s central bank. Greenspan announced that he would retire at the conclusion of his term, which expires in January. Bernanke, 51, who served three years as a member of the Fed’s Board of Governors before moving to the White House in June, requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
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On Monday, the House will meet at 12 noon in a Pro Forma session.
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On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. Suspensions (8 bills): (Bills on suspension are generally considered non-controversial and have reduced debate time, but require a two-thirds majority vote to be passed.) H.Res. 220 - Recognizing America`s Blood Centers and its member organizations for their commitment to providing over half the Nation with a safe and adequate volunteer donor blood supply, and for other purposes: Resolves that the House of Representatives recognizes America’s Blood Centers and its member organizations for providing life saving blood to patients, including the military in times of war and the nation in times of disaster, ensuring the safety of that blood supply, and promoting essential blood donor initiatives. It also acknowledges the efforts made by member community blood centers to promote and protect the safety and adequacy of blood components provided to patients, and recognizes the need to promote a stable blood supply and increase volunteer participation of blood donors. H.R. 3675 - American Spirit Fraud Prevention Act: Amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to double the existing statutory civil penalty for a violation involving an unfair or deceptive act or practice in either a national emergency period or disaster period, or relating to an international disaster, if the act or practice exploits popular reaction to the national emergency or major disaster. H.Res. 485 - Supporting the goals of Red Ribbon Week: Resolves that the House of Representatives supports the goals of Red Ribbon Week. It also encourages children and teens to choose to live a drug-free life. Finally the resolution encourages all people of the United States to promote drug-free communities and to participate in drug prevention activities to show support for healthy, productive, drug-free lifestyles. H.Con.Res. 269 - Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the White House Fellows Program: Acknowledges the legacy of leadership provided by White House Fellows over the years in their local communities, the Nation, and the world expresses appreciation and support for the continuing leadership of White House Fellows in all aspects of our national life in the years ahead. H.R. 3256 - Congressman James Grove Fulton Memorial Post Office Designation Act (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) H.R. 3368 - Gagetown Veterans Memorial Post Office Designation Act (Gagetown, Michigan) H.Res. 484 - Supporting efforts to promote greater awareness of effective runaway youth prevention programs and the need for safe and productive alternatives, resources, and supports for homeless youth H.R. 758 - To establish an interagency aerospace revitalization task force to develop a national strategy for aerospace workforce recruitment, training, and cultivation (Sponsored by Rep. Ehlers): Establishes the Interagency Aerospace Revitalization Task Force to develop a strategy for the Federal Government for aerospace workforce development. The bill directs the Task Force to develop: (1) cooperation among Federal agencies to provide a skilled workforce; (2) integrated federal policies to promote and monitor public and private sector education and training programs for science, engineering, technology, mathematics, and skilled trades; and (3) partnerships with industry, organized labor, academia, and state and local governments for occupational information and for workforce education, training, and certification resources, including grants, loans, and scholarships.
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On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business.
Suspensions (4 bills):
H.R. 3945 - Hurricane Katrina Financial Services Relief Act of 2005: Ensures that existing law governing the regulation of insured depository institutions and insured credit unions does not further complicate the recovery. The legislation provides three key points of short-term and measured regulatory relief to facilitate the stabilization of the financial services industry in the disaster declared areas.
H.Res. 368 - Congratulating the State of Israel on the election of Ambassador Dan Gillerman as Vice-President of the 60th United Nations General Assembly: Resolves that the House of Representatives congratulates Ambassador Dan Gillerman, Israel's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and the Government and people of the State of Israel on Israel's election as Vice-President of the 60th General Assembly of the United Nations.
S. 1713 - Iran Nonproliferation Amendments Act of 2005: Amends the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000 to state that the definition of "extraordinary payments in connection with the International Space Station" does not mean U.S. cash or in-kind payments under the Agreement Concerning Cooperation on the Civil International Space Station, with annex, signed on January 29, 1998, and entered into force March 27, 2001, or any protocol, agreement, memorandum of understanding, or contract related thereto (Agreement), to January 1, 2012. Under such Act the United States is prohibited from making such payments to the Russian Aviation and Space Agency unless specified determinations are made with respect to Russian cooperation in preventing proliferation to Iran, or to a foreign person identified as contributing to proliferation to Iran.
S. 172 - A Bill to Amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to Provide for the Regulation of All Contact Lenses as Medical Devices, and for Other Purposes: Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to regulate all contact lenses as medical devices.
H.R. 1461 - Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005: Creates a world-class regulator with strong safety, soundness and mission powers to oversee housing government sponsored enterprises (GSEs). The bill merges OFHEO (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac regulator) and FHFB (Federal Home Loan Bank regulator) into a new independent agency, funded by assessments on the GSEs. H.R. 1461 organizes the Federal Housing Finance Agency, headed by a director, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, with an advisory board (Treasury, HUD, and two non-government members).
H.J.Res. 65 - Disapproving the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission: Disapproves the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) as submitted by the President on September 15, 2005.
H.R. 420 - Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005: Restores mandatory sanctions for filing frivolous lawsuits in violation of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. It also restores the opportunity for monetary sanctions, including attorneys’ fees and compensatory costs, against any party making a frivolous claim. The bill abolishes Rule 11's current “free pass” provision (in Rule 11 since it was amended in 1993) which allows lawyers to avoid sanctions for making frivolous claims by simply withdrawing frivolous claims within 21 days after a motion for sanctions has been filed.
H.Con.Res. XXX - To make amendments to H.Con.Res. 95, the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2006: A summary of this bill was not available at time of publication.
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1861 - The first transcontinental telegraph message was sent when Justice Stephen J. Field of California transmitted a telegram to U.S. President Lincoln.
1948 - The term "cold war" was used for the first time. It was in a speech by Bernard Baruch before the Senate War Investigating Committee.
2001 - The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation that gave police the power to secretly search homes, tap all of a person's telephone conversation and track people's use of the Internet.
1929 - Alber B. Fall, of U.S. President Harding's cabinet, was found guilty of taking a bribe. He was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $100,000.
1954 - A U.S. cabinet meeting was televised for the first time.
1774 - The First Continental Congress of the U.S. adjourned in Philadelphia.
1949 - U.S. President Harry Truman raised the minimum wage from 40 to 75 cents an hour.
1972 - U.S. National security adviser Henry Kissinger declared, "Peace is at hand" in Vietnam.
1990 - The U.S. State Department issued a warning that terrorists could be planning an attack on a passenger ship or aircraft.
1993 - Deborah Gore Dean was convicted of 12 felony counts of defrauding the U.S. government and lying to the U.S. Congress. Dean was a central figure in the Reagan-era HUD scandal.
1994 - The U.S. Justice Department announced that the U.S. prison population had exceeded one million for the first time in American history.
1886 - The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by U.S. President Cleveland. The statue weighs 225 tons and is 152 feet tall. It was originally known as "Liberty Enlightening the World."
1919 - The U.S. Congress enacted the Volstead Act, also known as the National Prohibition Act. Prohibition was repealed in 1933 with the passing of the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
1949 - U.S. President Harry Truman swore in Eugenie Moore Anderson as the U.S. ambassador to Denmark. Anderson was the first woman to hold the post of ambassador.
1994 - U.S. President Clinton visited Kuwait and implied that all the troops there would be home by Christmas.
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