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In addition to several pieces of legislation currently in process (including the a bill to strengthen U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards and requirements in response to the Crestwood drinking water issue), U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush has introduced the following bills in the 111th Congress:
1. H.CON.RES.128 : Expressing the sense of Congress that Africa is of significant strategic, political, economic, and humanitarian importance to the United States.
Introduced 5/18/2009 Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Foreign Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/18/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2. H.R.20 : Melanie Blocker Stokes Mom's Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act (“Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act”) To provide for research on, and services for individuals with, postpartum depression and psychosis.
Introduced 1/6/2009 Cosponsors (15)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
House Reports: 111-48
Latest Major Action: Passed the House of Representatives and referred to Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on 3/31/2009.
3. H.R.45 : Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009: To provide for the implementation of a system of licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms, and for other purposes.
Introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 2/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
4. H.R.444 : 340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act of 2009: To amend section 340B of the Public Health Service Act to revise and expand the drug discount program under that section to improve the provision of discounts on drug purchases for certain safety net providers.
Introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (74)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
5. H.R.1133 : Family Telephone Connection Protection Act of 2009: To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe rules regulating inmate telephone service rates.
Introduced 2/23/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 2/23/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
6. H.R.1303 : CAN DO Act of 2009: To require the Attorney General, through the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice, to establish a 5-year competitive grant program to establish pilot programs to reduce the rate of occurrence of gun-related crimes in high-crime communities.
Introduced 3/4/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
7. H.R.1706 : Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2009: To prohibit brand name drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and for other purposes.
Introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
8. H.R.2221 : Data Accountability and Trust Act: To protect consumers by requiring reasonable security policies and procedures to protect computerized data containing personal information, and to provide for nationwide notice in the event of a security breach.
Introduced 4/30/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 5/5/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Hearings Held.
9. H.R.2272 : United States-Cuba Trade Normalization Act of 2009: To lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and to establish diplomatic and other relations.
Introduced 5/6/2009) Cosponsors (48)
Committees: House Foreign Affairs; House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Judiciary; House Financial Services; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Agriculture
Latest Major Action: 5/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Oversight and Government Reform, and Agriculture, 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.
10. H.R.2299 : Minority Small Business Enhancement Act of 2009: To amend the Small Business Act to enhance services to small business concerns that are disadvantaged, and for other purposes.
Introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (25)
Committees: House Small Business
Latest Major Action: 5/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
11. H.R.2309 : Consumer Credit and Debt Protection Act: To provide authority to the Federal Trade Commission to expedite rulemakings concerning consumer credit or debt and to direct the Commission to examine and promulgate rules with regard to debt settlement and automobile sales, and for other purposes.
Introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 5/12/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Summary of Rush Amendments to Energy Bill
- LOW INCOME COMMUNITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM (LICEEP) ($50 million annually from 2010-2015) Accepted into base bill
Loans, technical assistance, and grants to private, non-profit, mission-driven community development organizations including community development corporations and community development financial institutions to provide financing to businesses and projects that improve energy efficiency; identify and develop alternative, renewable, and distributed energy supplies; provide technical assistance and promote job and business opportunities for low-income residents; and increase energy conservation in low income rural and urban communities.
- LOW INCOME ALLOWANCES (60% of total allowances)- Accepted into base bill.
Provides assistance to low, moderate, and middle-income consumers through utility allowances (35%), natural gas utilities (9%), and direct rebates and EBT payments (15%).
- Large-Scale Vehicle Sharing Program – Accepted into base bill
Financial assistance for regional deployment and integration of grid-connected car-sharing vehicles operated by community-based programs that integrate with and extend the public transit system through provision of these vehicles for hourly usage. Funds may be used by non-profit programs for offsetting the cost of purchasing new plug-in electric drive vehicles, for expanding and making the vehicles available to underserved communities, deployment of electric charging stations or battery exchange locations, or facilitating the integration of smart grid equipment with plug-in electric drive vehicles.
- Funding for Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) – Accepted to base bill
Provides funding PBIs that seek to establish one of the 8 Clean Energy Innovation Centers established in the bill.
HEARINGS
- Auto Safety: Current Mandates and Emerging Issues
May 18, 2009
The hearing examined the status of existing congressional mandates on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as well as emerging issues in vehicle, highway, passenger, and pedestrian safety in preparation for reauthorization of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users Act.
- H.R. 2309, the Consumer Credit and Debt Protection Act and H.R. 2190, the Mercury Pollution Reduction Act
May 08, 2009
To provide authority to the Federal Trade Commission to expedite rule making concerning consumer credit or debt and to direct the Commission to examine and promulgate rules with regard to debt settlement and automobile sales, and for other purposes. H.R 2190- amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to phase out the use of mercury in the manufacture of chlorine and caustic soda, and for other purposes.
- H.R. 2221, the Data Accountability and Trust Act and H.R. 1319, the Informed P2P User Act
May 05, 2009
Hearing examined ways in which to protect consumers by requiring reasonable security measures that safeguard computerized personal information data, and to provide for nationwide notice in the event of a security breach.
Hearing also examined ways in which to prevent the inadvertent disclosure of information on a computer through the use of certain ‘peer-to-peer’ file sharing software without first providing notice and obtaining consent from the owner or authorized user of the computer.
- The Bowl Championship Series: Money and Other Issues of Fairness for Publicly Financed Universities
May 01, 2009
Examined issues of competitive fairness and the extent to which public colleges and universities are adversely impacted by the inequitable distribution of revenue generated from the Bowl Championship Series system.
- Examining the Status of U.S. Trade with Cuba and its Impact on Economic Growth
April 27, 2009
The hearings examined the economic embargo against Cuba in the context of the global financial downturn and explore the potential economic impact of normalizing U.S.-Cuba trade relations.
- H.R. 1706, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2009
March 27, 2009
To prohibit brand name drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and for other purposes.
- Consumer Credit and Debt: The Role of the Federal Trade Commission in Protecting the Public
March 24, 2009
Examined ways in which the FTC can better provide safeguards for the public against deceptive acts and abusive practices by financial and credit institutions.
- Stimulating the Economy through Trade: Examining the Role of Export Promotion
March 17, 2009
The hearing examined the role of exports in U.S. economic growth, the impact of export promotion programs sponsored by the federal government, and the assistance available to help U.S. businesses expand markets for U.S. products.
- Consumer Protection in the Used and Subprime Car Market
March 05, 2009
The hearing explored the current state of consumer protection in the auto market, with particular attention to purchases by lower income individuals.
- Revisiting the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
February 26, 2009
The hearing addressed critical gaps in the statute and explored how these gaps hinder effective chemical safety policy in the United States.
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