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House Passes Burgess’ Bone Marrow Bill
Posted by Michelle Stein on November 21, 2003
U.S. Congressman Michael C. Burgess has always recognized the importance of bone marrow donations and today, he is honored to announce the passage of his bill, H.Con.Res 206, “Supporting the National Marrow Donor Program.” This bill stresses the importance of bone marrow donor programs and encourages all Americans to participate.
On June 7, 2003 Congressman Burgess celebrated life with Lewisville resident and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor Clif Ackerman whose life was saved from by a donor to the National Bone Marrow Donor Program registry.
Ackerman was diagnosed with cancer in March of 1998 and did not have a stem cell match in his family. He was forced to find a match through the National Bone Marrow Registry. A match was found from a donor in Washington, DC, Perry Apelbaum. A staff member of the U.S. House of Representative Judiciary Committee and serves as the minority Chief of Staff, Apelbaum joined the registry in 1990 when he organized a registration drive and Ackerman was his first match.
“The Bone Marrow Program has helped thousands of families who will experience the second chance to enjoy life with a child, with a husband or wife, or with a brother or sister,” said Congressman Burgess. “I thank the countless number of heroes who have given the gift of life or who are waiting on the donor list to provide a life-saving service to those that are afflicted with leukemia or other blood diseases.”
Congressman Burgess supports the National Marrow Donor Program and submitted the Concurrent Resolution to Congress on June 4th of this year to draw awareness to the need for people to join the registry. Burgess has been on the National Registry since 1999 after the wife of one of his hospital administrators was diagnosed with cancer.
The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP http://www.marrow.org/NMDP/nmdp_network.html) is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the NMDP facilitates unrelated marrow and blood stem cell transplants for patients with life-threatening diseases who do not have matching donors in their families. Since its founding in 1986, the NMDP has facilitated more than 15,000 unrelated transplants for patients with blood disorders, such as leukemia and aplastic anemia, as well as certain immune system and genetic disorders.
The NMDP offers a single point of access for all sources of stem cells used in transplantation: marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood. The Program currently facilitates more than 160 transplants each month.
The Network includes apheresis centers, collection centers, cooperative registries, cord blood banks, donor centers, laboratories, recruitment groups, repositories and transplant centers. Another partner, The Marrow Foundation, also supports the NMDP through strategic fundraising efforts with individuals and corporations.
Approximately 40 percent of the transplants facilitated by the NMDP now involve either a U.S. patient receiving stem cells from an international donor or an international patient receiving stem cells from a U.S. donor.
Below is a list of Donor Centers in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area that have been certified to work with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Please contact one of the centers to join the national registry.
Baylor University Medical Center
NMDP Donor Center
3409 Worth Street
Suite 600, Sammons Tower
Dallas, TX 75246-2029
(214) 820-8165
http://www.baylordallas.edu
Carter BloodCare
9000 Harry Hines Blvd., #22
Dallas, TX 75235-1720
(214) 351-8150
http://www.nmdpdallas.org
Cook Children's Medical Center
801 Seventh Avenue
Fort Worth, TX 76104-2733
(817) 870-7562
“Perry Apelbaum should be commended for his act of generosity. His unselfish gift saved a life. I hope others decide to join the registry as well,” commented Burgess. “As a second-generation doctor, I made a commitment when I ran for Congress to improve America’s health care system. I hope this bill is a catalyst for future legislation initiatives that focus on the true generosity of the American spirit.”
H.R.1904 - Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003
Posted by on November 21, 2003
H.R.1904
Burgess voted YES Title:An act to improve the capacity of the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to conduct hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management lands aimed at protecting communities, watersheds, and certain other at-risk lands from catastrophic wildfire, to enhance efforts to protect watersheds and address threats to forest and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire, across the landscape, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep McInnis, Scott [CO-3] (introduced 5/1/2003) Cosponsors: 137 Committees: House Agriculture; House Resources; House Judiciary; Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Senate Energy and Natural Resources House Reports: 108-96 Part 1, 108-96 Part 2; Senate Reports: 108-121; Conference Reports: 108-386 Related Bills: H.RES.239, H.RES.457, S.1449 Latest Major Action: 12/3/2003 Became Public Law No: 108-148 [Text, PDF] SUMMARY AS OF: 7/31/2003--Reported to Senate, amended. (There are 2 other summaries) Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 - Title I: Hazardous Fuels Reduction on Federal Land - (Sec. 102) Permits the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System lands, and the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, to plan and conduct hazardous fuels reduction projects (fuels projects) on specified types of Federal lands, including on certain lands that contain threatened and endangered species habitat. (Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary concerned to give priority to fuels projects that provide for the protection of communities and watersheds. (Sec. 104) Requires the Secretary concerned to plan and conduct fuels projects in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and other applicable laws, except that the Secretary concerned shall be exempt from specified provisions of such Act pertaining to analysis of alternative options to proposed agency actions. Directs the Secretary concerned to provide for collaboration among governments, Indian tribes, and interested persons during the formulation of each fuels project in a manner consistent with standards in the Western Governors Association's ten-year wildfire management strategy. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to issue final regulations establishing a process that shall serve as the sole means by which an eligible individual shall be able to seek administrative review regarding a fuels project. (Sec. 106) Sets forth special requirements regarding judicial review of fuels projects. (Sec. 107) Provides injunctive relief for agency actions on Federal lands, including fuels projects, to restore fire-adapted forests or rangeland systems. (Sec. 108) States that nothing in this title shall be construed to affect or limit the use by the Secretary concerned of authorities other than this Act to plan or conduct a fuels project on Federal lands. Title II: Biomass - (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Secretary concerned to make grants to: (1) improve the commercial value of forest biomass to produce electric energy, sensible heat, transportation fuels, substitutes for petroleum-based products, wood-based products, pulp, or other commercial products; and (2) offset the cost of projects to add value to biomass. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 204) Establishes reporting requirements. (Sec. 205) Amends the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 to expand certain research by developing new tools for land managers, including tools to estimate the cost to deliver varying quantities of wood to a particular location. (Sec. 206) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to allow the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service and in collaboration with eligible institutions, to: (1) accelerate adoption of biomass technologies; (2) create community-based enterprises; and (3) establish small-scale business enterprises to make use of biomass. Authorizes appropriations. Title III: Watershed Forestry Assistance - (Sec. 302) Amends the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to permit the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Forest Service, to provide assistance to State foresters and officials for the purpose of expanding State forest capacities and activities to address watershed issues on non-Federal forested lands and potentially forested lands. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop, with relevant parties, a program of technical assistance to protect water quality; and (2) establish a watershed forestry cost-share program. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to provide assistance to Indian tribes for the purpose of expanding tribal stewardship capacities through tribal forestry best management practices to improve watershed health. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Insect Infestations and Related Diseases - (Sec. 403) Directs the Secretary concerned to establish an accelerated program to plan, conduct, and promote comprehensive and systematic information gathering on forest-damaging insects and associated diseases. (Sec. 404) Allows the Secretary concerned to conduct applied silvicultural assessments on Federal lands that are infested with forest-damaging insects or that are at risk of such infestation. (Sec. 405) States that the authority provided to each Secretary in this title is supplemental to, and not in lieu of, any authority provided to the Secretaries in any other law. (Sec. 406) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 to 2008. Title V: Healthy Forests Reserve Program - (Sec. 501) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the healthy forests reserve program (the program) within the Forest Service for the purpose of restoring and enhancing forest ecosystems to promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species as well as improve biodiversity and enhance carbon sequestration. (Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce, to designate rare forest ecosystems to be eligible for the program. Sets forth eligibility criteria (for private lands). Specifies that lands may be enrolled pursuant to: (1) a 10-year cost-share agreement; (2) a 30-year easement; or (3) a long-term easement with a buyback option. (Sec. 503) Subjects lands enrolled in the program to a restoration plan, which shall be developed jointly by the land owner and the Secretary of Agriculture. (Sec. 504) Sets forth the payment structures for the various methods of enrollment in the program. (Sec. 505) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide landowners with the technical assistance necessary to comply with the terms of plans under the program. (Sec. 506) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide safe harbor under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to landowners who enroll land in the program when such enrollment will result in a net conservation benefit for listed, candidate, or other species. (Sec. 508) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2008. Title VI: Public Land Corps - (Sec. 603) Establishes the Public Land Corps, consisting of individuals who are enrolled as members of a service or conservation corps. Allows the Secretary concerned to enter into contracts or agreements with any service or conservation corps, or with State agencies that have agreements with a service or conservation corps, to perform rehabilitation, enhancement, or beautification projects on Federal and State lands and on Indian, Hawaiian, and Alaska native lands (with approval). (Sec. 604) Declares that the nondisplacement requirements of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 shall apply to activities carried out by the Corps under this title. (Sec. 605) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2008. Title VII: Rural Community Forestry Enterprise Program - (Sec. 703) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to establish the Rural Community Forestry Enterprise Program to enhance necessary skills and establish organizations to promote forest-related products and activities. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish at least one Forest Enterprise Center at each Research Station of the Forest Service. Authorizes appropriations. Title VIII: Miscellaneous Provisions - (Sec. 801) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a comprehensive plan to inventory, monitor, characterize, assess, and identify forest stands and potential forest stands in specified locations. States that issues to be addressed shall include: (1) the early detection, identification, and assessment of environmental threats; and (2) the loss or degradation of forests. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a comprehensive early warning system for potential catastrophic threats to forests. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2009. (Sec. 802) Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to establish a program to provide local governments, tribal governments, and other entities with grants for use in hazardous fuels reduction projects that address the threat of wildfire caused by nonnative invasive plants. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 803) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to expand the relevance and function of the Semiarid Agroforestry Research Center, which shall be renamed the USDA National Agroforestry Center. (Sec. 804) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish an Upland Hardwood Research Center which shall, in conjunction with the Southern Forest Research Station of the Department of Agriculture, provide a broad research and development program for the upland hardwood resources of the Ozark Mountains and the South. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2008. (Sec. 805) Reaffirms the importance of the enhanced community fire protection program under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978.
H.RES. 453 - Condemning the terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15, 2003, expressing condolences to the families of the individuals murdered and expressing sympathies to the individuals injured in the terrorist attacks, and standing in solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism
Posted by on November 21, 2003
H.RES.453
Burgess voted YES Title:Condemning the terrorist attacks on Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15 and 20, 2003, expressing condolences to the families of the individuals murdered and expressing sympathies to the individuals injured in the terrorist attacks, and expressing solidarity with Turkey and the United Kingdom in the fight against terrorism. Sponsor: Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] (introduced 11/19/2003) Cosponsors: 56 Committees: House International Relations Related Bills: S.RES.273 Latest Major Action: 11/21/2003 Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 426 - 0 (Roll no. 657). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY AS OF: 11/21/2003--Passed House, amended. (There is 1 other summary) Condemns the terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15 and 20, 2003. Expresses condolences to the families of the individuals murdered in the attacks and expresses sympathies to the individuals injured. Conveys hope for the rapid and complete recovery of all such injured individuals. Expresses: (1) condolences to the people and governments of the Turkish Republic and of the United Kingdom over the losses they have suffered; and (2) solidarity with the United Kingdom, the Turkish Republic, and all other countries which stand united against terrorism and which work together to bring to justice the perpetrators of these and other terrorist attacks.
S. 1156 - Department of Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care and Personnel Authorities Enhancement Act of 2003
Posted by on November 21, 2003
S.1156
Burgess voted YES
Title:A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and enhance the provision of health care for veterans, to authorize major construction projects and other facilities matters for the Department of Veterans Affairs, to enhance and improve authorities relating to the administration of personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] (introduced 5/23/2003) Cosponsors: 1
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Senate Reports: 108-193
Latest Major Action: 12/6/2003 Became Public Law No: 108-170 [Text, PDF]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY AS OF:
5/23/2003--Introduced.
Department of Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care and Personnel Authorities Enhancement Act of 2003 - Extends through 2008: (1) the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat noninstitutional extended care services as medical services; and (2) the requirement that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provide nursing home care to veterans in need of such care who have service-connected disabilities rated at 50 (currently 70) percent or more.
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements for furnishing nursing home and adult day health care in non-Department facilities; and (2) carry out specified major medical facility projects.
Adds various health care personnel to personnel that may be appointed by the Secretary if found necessary for the medical care of veterans. Allows the Secretary to appoint such personnel on a temporary, part-time, or without-compensation basis.
Allows employees of the Veterans' Canteen Service to be considered for appointment in Department positions in the competitive service in the same manner as Department employees in the competitive service are considered for transfer to the Service.
Revises effective dates with respect to the treatment for retirement annuity purposes of certain part-time service of VHA health professionals.
Makes permanent the authority of the Secretary to use contract physicians to perform Department disability examinations (currently a pilot program).
H.CON.RES. 206 - Supporting the National Marrow Donor Program and other bone marrow donor programs and encouraging Americans to learn about the importance of bone marrow donation
Posted by on November 21, 2003
H.CON.RES.206
Burgess introduced this bill. Title:Supporting the National Marrow Donor Program and other bone marrow donor programs and encouraging Americans to learn about the importance of bone marrow donation. Sponsor: Rep Burgess, Michael C. [TX-26] (introduced 6/4/2003) Cosponsors: 1 Committees: House Energy and Commerce; Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Latest Major Action: 12/9/2003 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY AS OF: 11/21/2003--Passed House, without amendment. (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Expresses support for the goals and ideals of the National Marrow Donor Program and other bone marrow donor programs.
H.J.RES. 79 - aking further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2004, and for other purposes
Posted by on November 21, 2003
H.J.RES.79
Burgess votged YES Title:Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2004, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Young, C. W. Bill [FL-10] (introduced 11/21/2003) Cosponsors: (none) Committees: House Appropriations Related Bills: H.J.RES.82 Latest Major Action: 11/22/2003 Became Public Law No: 108-135 [Text, PDF] Note: Continuing appropriations through 1/31/2004. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY AS OF: 11/22/2003--Public Law. (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Extends until January 31, 2004: (1) the law making continuing appropriations for FY 2004; and (2) the waiver of certain conditions under the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2003 on the planning, design, or construction of a chemical weapons destruction facility in Russia.
H.R. 2622 - Fair Credit Reporting Bill
Posted by on November 21, 2003
H.R.2622
Burgess voted YES Title:To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to prevent identity theft, improve resolution of consumer disputes, improve the accuracy of consumer records, make improvements in the use of, and consumer access to, credit information, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6] (introduced 6/26/2003) Cosponsors: 58 Committees: House Financial Services; Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs House Reports: 108-263, 108-263 Part 2; Conference Reports: 108-396 Related Bills: H.RES.360, S.1753 Latest Major Action: 12/4/2003 Became Public Law No: 108-159 [Text, PDF] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY AS OF: 11/5/2003--Passed Senate, amended. (There are 4 other summaries) National Consumer Credit Reporting System Improvement Act of 2003 - Title I: Identity Theft Prevention and Credit History Restoration - Subtitle A: Identity Theft Prevention - (Sec.111) Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to define active duty military consumer as a consumer in military service who: (1) is on active duty or is a reservist performing duty under a call or order to active duty; and (2) is assigned to service away from the consumer's usual duty station. Defines fraud alert and active duty alert as a statement in the consumer's file that: (1) notifies all prospective users of a consumer report that the consumer may be a victim of fraud, including identity theft, or is an active duty military consumer, as applicable; (2) provides to all prospective users of a consumer report, a telephone number, or other reasonable contact method designated by the consumer for the user to obtain the consumer's authorization before establishing new credit (including providing any increase in a credit limit with respect to an existing credit account) in the consumer's name; and (3) is presented in a manner that facilitates a clear and conspicuous view of the statement by any person requesting such report. Defines reseller as a consumer reporting agency that: (1) assembles and merges information contained in the database of another consumer reporting agency or multiple consumer reporting agencies concerning any consumer for purposes of furnishing such information to any third party; and (2) does not maintain a database of the assembled or merged information from which new consumer reports are produced. Defines identity theft report as a report: (1) that alleges an identity theft; (2) that is filed by a consumer with an appropriate Federal, State, or local government agency, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and any law enforcement agency; and (3) the filing of which subjects the person filing the report to criminal penalties relating to the filing of false information if, in fact, the information in the report is false. (Sec. 112) Requires a consumer reporting agency, upon consumer good faith allegation and request, to include a fraud alert in the consumer's file for at least 90 days (one-call fraud alert). Requires the agency to inform the consumer that the consumer may request a free copy of the consumer's file. Requires a consumer reporting agency, upon the request of a consumer who files an identity theft report, or upon receipt of a properly completed copy of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC)-developed and standardized affidavit of identity theft, to include a fraud report in the consumer's file for seven years (unless the consumer requests its removal), and exclude the consumer during such period from any list provided to a third party to offer credit or insurance to the consumer as part of a transaction the consumer has not initiated. Requires a consumer reporting agency to inform the consumer that the consumer may request two free copies of the consumer's file containing the fraud alert. Requires a consumer reporting agency, upon active duty military consumer request, to include an active duty alert in the consumer's file for at least 12 months (unless the consumer requests its removal), and exclude the consumer during such period from any list provided to a third party to offer credit or insurance to the consumer as part of a transaction the consumer has not initiated. Requires a consumer reporting agency to refer such fraud alert or an active duty alert to other consumer reporting agencies. Requires a reseller to reconvey such fraud alerts. (Sec. 113) Mandates truncation of credit card and debit card numbers, with printing of no more than the last five digits. (Sec. 114) Directs the Federal banking agencies, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish guidelines and prescribe regulations for reasonable policies and procedures to: (1) identify possible identity theft risks to account holders or to the safety and soundness of an institution or customers; (2) prescribe regulations requiring each financial institution and each other user of a consumer report to notify the FTC of unauthorized access to records which compromises the security, confidentiality, or integrity of consumer information; and (3) prohibit card issuers from issuing additional or replacement cards within 30 days after receiving a change of address notice unless certain steps are taken to verify such change of address. (Sec. 115) Amends Federal criminal law to increase the maximum penalty for identity fraud from three years to five years in prison. (Sec. 116) Requires a consumer reporting agency, upon consumer request for nondisclosure of the number, to truncate a consumer's social security or similar identification number by removing the first five digits. Subtitle B: Protection and Restoration of Identity Theft Victim Credit History - (Sec. 151) Directs the FTC to prescribe the form and content of a summary of consumer rights regarding the procedures for remedying the effects of fraud or identity theft involving credit, electronic funds transfers, or accounts or ttransactions at or with a financial institution. Prescribes procedural guidelines under which a business entity, upon victim request, must provide a copy of the business records evidencing a transaction alleged to be a result of identity theft to the victim and to any law enforcement agency or officer specified by the victim, or investigating the identity theft. Requires the FTC to implement a public education campaign on identity theft. (Sec. 152) Requires a consumer reporting agency to block the reporting of information that the consumer alleges resulted from identity theft. Cites circumstances under which such agency may decline to block, or may rescind any block of information. Prescribes special rules governing resellers or verification companies after they have been notified of information in a consumer's file resulting from identify theft (Sec. 153) Prescribes guidelines for: (1) coordination of consumer complaint investigations; (2) prevention of repollution of consumer reports; and (3) debt collector communications concerning identity theft. (Sec. 156) Extends the statute of limitations for civil liability for violations of FCRA from two to five years after the date on which the violation occurs (but not later than two years after the violation is discovered). Title II: Improvements in Use of and Consumer Access to Credit Information - (Sec. 211) Requires a consumer reporting agency to furnish free credit reports during any 12-month period only if a request is made by mail or through an Internet website using the centralized system and a standardized request form established in accordance with this Act. Requires, upon consumer request, free disclosures in connection with fraud alerts. Directs the FTC to prepare a model summary of consumer rights to: (1) obtain and dispute information in consumer reports; and (2) obtain credit scores. Requires a consumer reporting agency to include such summary with its agency disclosures. (Sec. 212) Requires both consumer reporting agencies and users of credit scores who make extensions of credit for home buyers to disclose to the consumer the relevant credit scores in connection with a credit application secured by a dwelling. Declares void any contract provision prohibiting such mandatory disclosures. Exempts from contractual liability any credit score user for making such a disclosure. (Sec. 213) Extends from two years to seven years the effective period during which consumers may opt-out of prescreened lists for marketing credit or insurance solicitations. Instructs the FTC to publicize and conspicuously post on its website any address and the toll-free telephone number established as part of the system to notify consumers to opt out of such prescreened lists. (Sec. 214) Requires affiliates who exchange consumer information for market solicitation purposes to: (1) alert the consumer of such practice; and (2) allow the consumer to prohibit permanently all solicitation for marketing purposes. Authorizes such affiliates to allow the consumer to choose from different options to prohibit solicitations, including the types of entities and information covered and solicitation methods. Directs the Federal banking agencies, the NCUA, and the FTC to: (1) promulgate regulations limiting affiliate sharing of consumer information for solicitation purposes; and (2) study and report to Congress on consumer information sharing by users of consumer reports, including financial institution affiliates. (Sec. 215) Requires the FTC to study and report to Congress on: (1) the effects of the use of credit scores and credit-based insurance scores upon the availability and affordability of financial products and services; (2) the correlation between the factors considered by credit score systems and the quantifiable risks and actual losses experienced by businesses; (3) the extent to which the use of credit scoring models, credit scores, and credit-based insurance scores benefit or negatively affect persons based on geography, income, ethnicity, race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, or creed; and (4) the extent to which credit scoring systems are used by businesses, the factors considered by such systems, and the effects of variables which are not considered by such systems. (Sec. 216) Directs the FTC to issue final regulations requiring proper disposal of consumer information or any compilation of it that is derived from consumer reports for a business purpose. Title III: Enhancing the Accuracy of Consumer Report Information - (Sec. 311) Prescribes guidelines requiring certain persons who grant credit based upon consumer reports to notify the consumer if the credit terms are materially less favorable than the most favorable terms available to a substantial proportion of consumers (risk-based pricing notice). Prohibits enactment of any State law imposing a requirement or prohibition relating to the duties of users of consumer reports to provide notice with respect to terms in certain credit transactions. (Thus precludes enactment of State consumer protection laws that may be more stringent than Federal law). (Sec. 312) Directs the Federal banking agencies, the NCUA, and the FTC to coordinate regulations governing the accuracy and completeness of information provided by furnishers of consumer information to consumer reporting agencies. Revises limitations on liability and enforcement in connection with willful and negligent noncompliance by furnishers of consumer information to consumer reporting agencies. (Sec. 313) Prescribes guidelines for FTC treatment of consumer complaints of incomplete or inaccurate information maintained by a consumer reporting agency, and transmission of such complaints to the agency. (Sec. 314) Requires the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to: (1) conduct ongoing audits of the accuracy and completeness of consumer reports prepared or maintained by consumer reporting agencies; and (2) independently verify report accuracy and completeness. (Sec. 315) Requires consumer reporting agencies which determine, upon reinvestigation, that information was inaccurate, incomplete, or unverified to promptly: (1) delete or modify such information; and (2) notify the information furnisher of such action. Requires information furnishers in such instances to promptly delete or modify such information. (Sec. 316) Requires a consumer reporting agency to notify consumer report users whenever the consumer address contained in a report differs substantially from that provided by the user when it requested the report. Directs the Federal banking agencies, the NCUA, and the FTC to promulgate procedural guidelines that consumer report users should employ to reconcile a consumer's address with the consumer reporting agency by furnishing such address to the agency as part of its regularly furnished information. (Sec. 317) Directs the FTC to study and report to Congress on a cost-benefit analysis of ways to improve the operation of FCRA, in particular: (1) the efficacy of increasing the number of points of identifying information a credit reporting agency must match to ensure that a consumer is the correct individual to whom a credit report relates before releasing the report to a user; (2) mandatory notification of consumers when negative information has been added to their credit reports; (3) the effects of requiring that a consumer experiencing an adverse action receive a copy of the same credit report on which the creditor relied in taking the adverse action; (4) any common financial transactions not generally reported to consumer reporting agencies which would provide useful information in determining creditworthiness; and (5) any actions that might be taken within a voluntary reporting system to encourage the reporting of those types of transactions not generally reported. Title IV: Limiting the Use and Sharing of Medical Information in the Financial System - (Sec. 411) Requires specific affirmative consumer consent (opt-in) regarding the use and sharing of medical information by consumer reporting agencies for employment or insurance purposes. States that medical information shall not be excluded from credit reports shared among affiliates unless it is prohibited by this title. Directs the Federal banking agencies and the NCUA to prescribe regulations limiting the use of such medical information. (Sec. 412) Requires information furnishers whose primary business is providing medical services, products, or devices to notify any credit reporting agency to which they furnish consumer information that they are medical information furnishers, for purposes of compliance with medical information coding requirements. Title V: Financial Literacy and Education Improvement - Financial Literacy and Education Improvement Act - (Sec. 513) Establishes the Financial Literacy and Education Commission to: (1) improve Federal financial literacy and education programs, grants, and materials; (2) establish a website and a toll-free telephone number for the public; (3) disseminate public education materials; (4) develop a national strategy promoting basic financial literacy and education at the State and local level; and (5) report to Congress on its activities. (Sec. 517) Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the effectiveness of the Commission in promoting financial literacy and education. (Sec. 518) Authorizes appropriations. Title VI: Relation to State Law - Repeals the termination after January 1, 2004, of Federal preemption of State law by FCRA (thus extending such Federal preemption indefinitely). Title VII: Miscellaneous - (Sec. 711) Makes clerical and technical amendments to FCRA.
H.Con.Res. 206 - Bone Marrow Bill
Posted by on November 21, 2003 H.Con.Res. 206 - Bone Marrow Bill Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26) November 21, 2003 To start, I would like to thank Chairman Tauzin for bringing this resolution to the floor. I would also like to thank the staff of the Energy and Commerce committee for their hard work on this issue. Bone marrow donation is so critical to millions of cancer patients. Every year, nearly 30,000 people are diagnosed with leukemia or other blood diseases. Often times, the only course of treatment involves the donation of bone marrow from one person to another. H.Con. Res. 206 urges Americans to register with the National Marrow Donor Registry. Since the National Marrow Donor Registry was founded 16 years ago, it has facilitated the more than 15,000 donations for patients with blood disorders. The registry now has 5 million volunteers. I am proud to be one of these volunteers having joined the registry in 1999. The 15,000 volunteers that have been called on to donate bone marrow to sick and dying patients have saved thousands of lives. But they have impacted thousands more by saving the lives of mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters—keeping loving families whole and communities intact. On June 7 of this year, I had the opportunity to celebrate the life of one of my constituents who had been diagnosed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Clif Ackerman. A donor to the National Marrow Donor Program registry saved Mr. Ackerman’s life. Mr. Ackerman was diagnosed with cancer in March of 1998 and did not have a stem cell match in his family. He was forced to find a match through the National Bone Marrow Registry. A match was found from a donor in Washington, DC, Perry Apelbaum. Perry is a member of the House Judiciary Committee staff. Mr. Apelbaum joined the registry in 1990. As fate would have it, when Mr. Ackerman got sick, Apelbaum turned out to be a perfect match. This example underscores how important this program is: a Congressional staffer in Washington, DC, turned out to be the savior for a man in Lewisville, Texas. The Marrow Donor Program has helped thousands of families who will experience the second chance to enjoy life with a child, with a husband or wife, or with a brother or sister. I thank the countless number of heroes who have given the gift of life or who are waiting on the donor list to provide a life-saving service to those that are afflicted with leukemia or other blood diseases. The House has already reauthorized the Marrow Donor Program this year in a bipartisan manner. Now it’s up to the other body to complete this work. But in the meantime, we must continue to raise the profile of this important program, and this resolution does just that. Thank you for considering this resolution, and I yield the remainder of my time. |
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Five things you need to know about the #COVID19 from @DrNancyM_CDC https://t.co/SOUwnXj9AB
Katherine Johnson was a pioneer and inspiration to young women around the world. Her legacy will live on for genera… https://t.co/FwAKIYXlPk
"Entrepreneurship is the backbone of the American economy and minority-owned businesses are no exception to that fa… https://t.co/g2ReRiewHm
. @CDCgov announced an initiative to help labs in rural communities improve diagnostic excellence through… https://t.co/rMDvYlPdkt
With the announcement of another confirmed #COVID19 case, I want to thank the over 300 U.S. Public Health Commissio… https://t.co/qf9ddh9nLN