[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Pages 27761-27768]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 3404. Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mrs. Hutchison) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 126, between lines 7 and 8, add the following:
       Sec. 521.  Section 106(d) of the American Competitiveness 
     in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-313; 
     8 U.S.C. 1153 note) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by inserting ``1996, 1997,'' after ``available in 
     fiscal year''; and
       (B) by inserting ``group I,'' after ``schedule A,'';
       (2) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``1996, 1997, and'' 
     after ``available in fiscal years''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Petitions.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
     provide a process for reviewing and acting upon petitions 
     with respect to immigrants described in schedule A not later 
     than 30 days after the date on which a completed petition has 
     been filed.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3405. Mr. VOINOVICH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title V, insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  Not later than 9 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Government Accountability Office 
     shall submit a report to Congress that contains an assessment 
     of the process for hiring and managing

[[Page 27762]]

     administrative law judges and makes recommendations on ways 
     to improve the hiring and management of administrative law 
     judges.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3406. Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mr. DeMint) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title III, insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a 
     local educational agency that receives funds appropriated 
     under this title shall not distribute any form of 
     contraceptives to students under the age of 16.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3407. Mr. ISAKSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 
     under the heading ``office of national coordinator for health 
     information'' an additional $2,500,000 shall be available 
     under section 241 of the Public Health Service Act to carry 
     out Health Information Technology Network Development, and 
     the amount available under the heading ``general departmental 
     management'' under the heading ``Office of the Secretary'' 
     shall be decreased by $2,500,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3408. Mr. BAYH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  In addition to any other amounts appropriated in 
     this Act, up to $2,000,000 shall be available to the Centers 
     for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources 
     and Services Administration for the Traumatic Brain Injury 
     (TBI) Surveillance, Registries, Prevention, and National 
     Education/Public Awareness Program under the Traumatic Brain 
     Injury Act of 1996 (as amended by the Children's Health Act 
     of 2000, Public Law 106-310) and the State Traumatic Brain 
     Injury (TBI) Grant Program under such Act (as so amended).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3409. Mr. BAYH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  In addition to any other amounts appropriated in 
     this Act, $1,000,000 shall be available to the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention for the Traumatic Brain Injury 
     (TBI) Surveillance, Registries, Prevention, and National 
     Education/Public Awareness Program under the Traumatic Brain 
     Injury Act of 1996 (as amended by the Children's Health Act 
     of 2000, Public Law 106-310) and $1,000,000 shall be 
     available to the Health Resources and Services Administration 
     for the State Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Grant Program 
     under such Act (as so amended).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3410. Mr. DURBIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 41, line 14, insert before the period the 
     following: ``, of which $800,000 shall be made available to 
     fund epilepsy patient education, awareness, outreach, and 
     surveillance activities to be conducted by the CURE Epilepsy 
     Foundation''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3411. Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Bunning) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 106, line 24, insert before the period the 
     following: ``: Provided further, That funds may be made 
     available for grants to Federal commissions that support 
     museum and library activities, in partnership with libraries 
     and museums that are eligible for funding under programs 
     carried out by the Institute of Museum and Library 
     Services''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3412. Mr. GRASSLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act, the amount appropriated under the heading ``limitation 
     on administrative expenses'' under the heading ``Social 
     Security Administration'' shall be increased by $150,000,000.
       (b) Section 205(c)(2)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(G)) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(i)'' after ``(G)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new clause:
       ``(ii)(I) Beginning January 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 
     2008, the Commissioner of Social Security shall impose the 
     applicable fee determined under subclause (II) for each 
     replacement social security card issued to an individual. The 
     Commissioner of Social Security may waive the imposition of 
     the fee required under this clause if such imposition would 
     be against equity and good conscience.
       ``(II) For purposes of subclause (I), the applicable fee 
     determined under this subclause is--
       ``(aa) for 2008, $30.00; and
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3413. Mr. DeMINT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be 
     provided to any local education agency that has a policy that 
     allows for the distribution of birth control to a child under 
     18 years of age, without the separate, prior, written consent 
     of a parent or guardian of such child.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3414. Mr. BUNNING submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       In section 110, add at the end the following:
       (c) Notwithstanding section 115(e) of the Federal Mine 
     Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 825(e)), any 
     requirement of a regulation issued under section 115(e) that 
     requires that a mine rescue team participate at least 
     annually in 2 local mine rescue contests or at least annually 
     in mine rescue training at the underground coal mine covered 
     by the team shall not apply to a State-sponsored mine rescue 
     team--
       (1) that is composed of State employees;
       (2) whose members are familiar with the operations of the 
     mines the team covers through the performance of the members' 
     regular duties; and
       (3) that conducts mine rescue training at least once semi-
     annually.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3415. Mr. CORNYN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a study of the effectiveness and timeliness of 
     the four-tiered system used to determine the frequency and 
     priority for surveying and certifying providers and suppliers 
     participating or desiring to participate in the Medicare or 
     Medicaid program. The study shall include an examination of 
     the impact of such system on health care providers and 
     suppliers that have not previously been surveyed and 
     certified for participation in either such program.
       (b) Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to

[[Page 27763]]

     Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection 
     (a), together with such recommendations as the Comptroller 
     General determines appropriate.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3416. Mr. INHOFE (for himself and Mr. Enzi) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       Beginning on page 76, strike line 24 and all that follows 
     through line 7 on page 77.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3417. Mr. INHOFE (for himself and Mr. Enzi) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 77, line 7, insert before the period the following: 
     ``, and in addition only where allowed by and in accordance 
     with the policies of the publishers who have conducted the 
     peer-review and accepted the manuscripts for publication''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3418. Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself and Mr. Dodd) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available in this Act or any other Act making appropriations 
     to the agencies funded by this Act may be used to close or 
     otherwise cease to operate the field office of the Social 
     Security Administration located in Bristol, Connecticut, 
     before the date on which the Commissioner of Social Security 
     submits to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     comprehensive and detailed report outlining and justifying 
     the process for selecting field offices to be closed. Such 
     report shall include--
       (1) a thorough analysis of the criteria used for selecting 
     field offices for closure and how the Commissioner of Social 
     Security analyzes and considers factors relating to 
     transportation and communication burdens faced by elderly and 
     disabled citizens as a result of field office closures, 
     including the extent to which elderly citizens have access 
     to, and competence with, online services; and
       (2) for each field office proposed to be closed during 
     fiscal year 2007 or 2008, including the office located in 
     Bristol, Connecticut, a thorough cost-benefit analysis for 
     each such closure that takes into account--
       (A) the savings anticipated as a result of the closure;
       (B) the anticipated burdens placed on elderly and disabled 
     citizens; and
       (C) any costs associated with replacement services and 
     provisional contact stations.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3419. Ms. SNOWE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a study to evaluate the Social Security 
     Administration's plan to reduce the hearing backlog for 
     disability claims at the Social Security Administration and 
     the Social Security Administration's current and planned 
     initiatives to improve the disability process, as contained 
     in the report submitted to the Senate on September 13, 2007, 
     pursuant to Senate Report 110-107.
       (b) Not later than 5 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under 
     subsection (a), together with such recommendations as the 
     Comptroller General determines appropriate.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3420. Ms. SNOWE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a study to evaluate the Social Security 
     Administration's plan to reduce the hearing backlog for 
     disability claims at the Social Security Administration and 
     the Social Security Administration's current and planned 
     initiatives to improve the disability process, as contained 
     in the report submitted to the Senate on September 13, 2007, 
     pursuant to Senate Report 110-107.
       (b) Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under 
     subsection (a), together with such recommendations as the 
     Comptroller General determines appropriate.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3421. Mr. DeMINT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be 
     provided to any local education agency that has a policy that 
     allows for the distribution of birth control to a child under 
     17 years of age, without the separate, prior, written consent 
     of a parent or guardian of such child.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3422. Mr. DeMINT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be 
     provided to any local education agency that has a policy that 
     allows for the distribution of birth control to a child under 
     16 years of age, without the separate, prior, written consent 
     of a parent or guardian of such child.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3423. Mr. DeMINT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be 
     provided to any local education agency that has a policy that 
     allows for the distribution of birth control to a child under 
     15 years of age, without the separate, prior, written consent 
     of a parent or guardian of such child.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3424. Mr. DeMINT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be 
     provided to any local education agency that has a policy that 
     allows for the distribution of birth control to a child under 
     14 years of age, without the separate, prior, written consent 
     of a parent or guardian of such child.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3425. Mr. DeMINT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be 
     provided to any local education agency that has a policy that 
     allows for the distribution of birth control to a child under 
     13 years of age, without the separate, prior, written consent 
     of a parent or guardian of such child.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3426. Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself and Mr. Stevens) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of

[[Page 27764]]

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a)  In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated 
     under this title for the National Health Service Corps, there 
     shall be made available to the National Health Service Corps 
     an additional amount so that the total amount available for 
     such Corps is $131,500,000.
        (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 
     amounts made available under this Act for the administrative 
     and related expenses for the Department of Labor, the 
     Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department 
     of Education shall be reduced on a pro rata basis by the 
     amount necessary to provide for the additional amount made 
     available under subsection (a).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3427. Mr. CORNYN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place insert:
       It is the sense of the Senate that a portion of the funds 
     at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and 
     Kidney Diseases be used for hemodialysis clinical trials.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3428. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 79, between lines 4 and 5, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) In addition to any other amounts appropriated 
     or otherwise made available under this Act, $8,000,000 shall 
     be available to carry out activities under the Patient 
     Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005 
     (Public Law 109-18).
       (b) Amounts made available under this Act for consulting 
     services for the Departments of Labor, the Department of 
     Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education 
     shall be further reduced on a pro rata basis by the 
     percentage necessary to decrease the overall amount of such 
     spending by $8,000,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3429. Mr. DORGAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 12, line 8, before the period, insert the 
     following: ``Provided further, That not later than 365 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Labor shall submit to Congress a report regarding the impact 
     of the North American Free Trade Agreement (in this section, 
     referred to as the `Agreement') on jobs in the United States. 
     The report shall cover the period beginning on the date the 
     Agreement entered into force with respect to the United 
     States through December 31, 2007, and shall include on a 
     industry-by-industry basis, the information regarding the 
     number and type of jobs lost in the United States as a result 
     of the agreement and the number and type of jobs created as a 
     result of the Agreement.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3430. Mr. FEINGOLD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title III, add the following:
       Sec. __. (a)  Not later than May 31, 2009, the Comptroller 
     General of the United States shall submit a report to 
     Congress on student preparation techniques to meet State 
     academic achievement standards and achieve on State academic 
     assessments.
        (b) The report required under subsection (a) shall include 
     a compilation of data collected from surveying a 
     representative sample of schools across the Nation to 
     determine the range of techniques that schools are using in 
     order to prepare students to meet State academic achievement 
     standards and achieve on State academic assessments, 
     including the extent to which schools have--
       (1) extended the school day;
       (2) hired curriculum specialists to train teachers or work 
     with individual students or small groups of students;
       (3) de-emphasized academic subjects of which State academic 
     achievement standards and assessments are not required under 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6301 et seq.);
       (4) used commercial test preparation material;
       (5) provided increased professional development for 
     teachers;
       (6) targeted low-performing students for specialized 
     instruction or tutoring;
       (7) instituted formative or benchmark exams;
       (8) distributed old exam questions to teachers and students 
     and focused instruction on these old exam questions;
       (9) increased instructional time on tested subjects; or
       (10) used any other techniques to prepare students to meet 
     State academic achievement standards and achieve on State 
     academic assessments.
       (c) The data collected pursuant to this section shall be 
     reported--
       (1) as data for all schools; and
       (2) as data disaggregated by--
       (A) high-poverty schools;
       (B) low-poverty schools;
       (C) schools with a student enrollment consisting of a 
     majority of minority students;
       (D) schools with a student enrollment consisting of a 
     majority of non-minority students;
       (E) urban schools;
       (F) suburban schools;
       (G) rural schools; and
       (H) schools identified as in need of improvement under 
     section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316).
       (d) The representative sample described in subsection (b) 
     shall be designed in such a manner as to provide valid, 
     reliable, and accurate information as well as sufficient 
     sample sizes for each type of school described in subsection 
     (c).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3431. Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself and Mr. Alexander) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 85, line 3, strike the period at the end and insert 
     ``Provided further, that of such funds $251,394,000 shall be 
     for public charter schools, of which $214,783,000 shall be 
     for Charter Schools Grants and $36,611,000 of which shall be 
     for the Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities 
     Program.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3432. Mr. REED submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a)  In addition to other amounts made available 
     in this title, $6,000,000 shall be made available for trauma 
     care activities.
       (b) Amounts made available under this Act for consulting 
     services for the Department of Labor, the Department of 
     Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education 
     shall be reduced on a pro rata basis by the percentage 
     necessary to decrease the overall amount of such spending by 
     $6,000,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3433. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title III, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  Prior to January 1, 2008, the Secretary of 
     Education may not terminate any voluntary flexible agreement 
     under section 428A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1078-1) that exists on the date of enactment of this 
     Act. With respect to an entity with which the Secretary of 
     Education has a voluntary flexible agreement under section 
     428A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-1) 
     on the date of enactment of this Act that is not cost 
     neutral, the Secretary of Education shall, not later than 
     December 31, 2007--
       (1) negotiate to enter, and enter, into a new voluntary 
     flexible agreement with such entity so that the agreement is 
     cost neutral, unless such entity does not want to enter into 
     such agreement; or
       (2) renegotiate such existing voluntary flexible agreement 
     so that the agreement is cost neutral.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3434. Mr. BURR (for himself and Mr. Gregg) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the

[[Page 27765]]

bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 66, line 7, strike ``$756,556,000'' and insert 
     ``$786,556,000''.
       On page 66, line 10, strike the period and insert ``, and 
     of which $189,000,000 shall be used to support advanced 
     research and development of medical countermeasures, 
     consistent with section 319L of the Public Health Service 
     Act.''.
       On page 79, between lines 4 and 5, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 
     amounts appropriated in this Act for the administration and 
     related expenses for the departmental management of the 
     Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human 
     Services, and the Department of Education shall be reduced by 
     a pro rata percentage required to reduce the total amount 
     appropriated in this Act by $30,000,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3435. Mr. CONRAD (for himself and Mr. Brownback) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. PERMANENT AUTHORIZATION OF CONRAD STATE 30 PROGRAM.

       Section 220(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Technical 
     Corrections Act of 1994 (8 U.S.C. 1182 note) is amended by 
     striking ``and before June 1, 2008''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3436. Mr. HATCH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       ``Provided further, That the Secretary of Education shall 
     assess the impact on education felt by students in states 
     with a high proportion of federal land compared to students 
     in non-public land states. The study shall consider current 
     student teacher ratios, trends in student teacher ratios, the 
     proportion of property tax dedicated to education in each 
     state, and the impact of these and other factors on education 
     in public land states. The Secretary shall submit the report 
     not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act.''
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3437. Mr. ENZI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
       Sec.  . Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
     funds shall be made available under this Act to modify the 
     HIV/AIDS funding formulas under title XXVI of the Public 
     Health Service Act.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3438. Mr. BINGAMAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title IV, add the following:

                           General Provisions

       Sec. 401. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act, the amount appropriated under the heading ``Limitation 
     on Administrative Expenses'' under the heading ``Social 
     Security Administration'' shall be increased by $160,000,000.
       (b) Notwithstanding sections 1816(c) and 1842(c)(2) of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395h(c) and 1395u(c)(2)) or 
     any other provision of law--
       (1) any payment from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust 
     Fund under section 1817 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395i) or from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance 
     Trust Fund under section 1841 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395t) 
     for claims submitted under part A or B of title XVIII of such 
     Act for items and services furnished under such part A or B, 
     respectively, that would otherwise be payable during the 
     period beginning on September 29, 2008, and ending on 
     September 30, 2008, shall be paid on the first business day 
     of October 2008; and
       (2) no interest or late penalty shall be paid to an entity 
     or individual for any delay in a payment by reason of the 
     application of paragraph (1).
       (c) Section 323 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 
     to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 323. Investment of operating cash

       ``(a) To manage United States cash, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury may invest any part of the operating cash of the 
     Treasury for not more than 90 days. The Secretary may invest 
     the operating cash of the Treasury in--
       ``(1) obligations of depositories maintaining Treasury tax 
     and loan accounts secured by pledged collateral acceptable to 
     the Secretary;
       ``(2) obligations of the United States Government; and
       ``(3) repurchase agreements with parties acceptable to the 
     Secretary.
       ``(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not require the 
     Secretary to invest a cash balance held in a particular 
     account.
       ``(c) The Secretary shall consider the prevailing market in 
     prescribing rates of interest for investments under 
     subsection (a)(1) of this section.
       ``(d)(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall submit each 
     fiscal year to the appropriate committees a report detailing 
     the investment of operating cash under sub-section (a) for 
     the preceding fiscal year. The report shall describe the 
     Secretary's consideration of risks associated with 
     investments and the actions taken to manage such risks.
       ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `appropriate 
     committees' means the Committees on Financial Services and 
     Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committees on Finance and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
     of the Senate.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3439. Mr. BINGAMAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title IV, add the following:

                           General Provisions

       Sec. 401.(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act, the amount appropriated under the heading ``Limitation 
     on Administrative Expenses'' under the heading ``Social 
     Security Administration'' shall be increased by $160,000,000.
       (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an 
     additional $25,000,000 of the funds provided under the first 
     paragraph under the heading ``Limitation on administrative 
     expenses'' under the heading ``Social Security 
     Administration'' shall be used to conduct re-determinations 
     of eligibility under title XVI of the Social Security Act.
       (c) Section 323 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 
     to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 323. Investment of operating cash

       ``(a) To manage United States cash, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury may invest any part of the operating cash of the 
     Treasury for not more than 90 days. The Secretary may invest 
     the operating cash of the Treasury in--
       ``(1) obligations of depositories maintaining Treasury tax 
     and loan accounts secured by pledged collateral acceptable to 
     the Secretary;
       ``(2) obligations of the United States Government; and
       ``(3) repurchase agreements with parties acceptable to the 
     Secretary.
       ``(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not require the 
     Secretary to invest a cash balance held in a particular 
     account.
       ``(c) The Secretary shall consider the prevailing market in 
     prescribing rates of interest for investments under 
     subsection (a)(1) of this section.
       ``(d)(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall submit each 
     fiscal year to the appropriate committees a report detailing 
     the investment of operating cash under subsection (a) for the 
     preceding fiscal year. The report shall describe the 
     Secretary's consideration of risks associated with 
     investments and the actions taken to manage such risks.
       ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `appropriate 
     committees' means the Committees on Financial Services and 
     Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committees on Finance and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
     of the Senate.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3440. Mr. BINGAMAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title IV, add the following:

                           General Provisions

       Sec. 401.(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act, the amount appropriated

[[Page 27766]]

     under the heading ``limitation on administrative expenses'' 
     under the heading ``Social Security Administration'' shall be 
     increased by $90,000,000.
       (b) Section 1848(l)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1395w-4(1)(2)(A)), as amended by section 6 of the TMA, 
     Abstinence Education, and QI Programs Extension Act of 2007 
     (Public Law 110-90), is amended by striking 
     ``$1,350,000,000'' and inserting ``$70,000,000, but in no 
     case shall expenditures from the Fund in fiscal year 2008 
     exceed $720,000,000'' in the first sentence.
       (c) Section 323 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 
     to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 323. Investment of operating cash

       ``(a) To manage United States cash, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury may invest any part of the operating cash of the 
     Treasury for not more than 90 days. The Secretary may invest 
     the operating cash of the Treasury in--
       ``(1) obligations of depositories maintaining Treasury tax 
     and loan accounts secured by pledged collateral acceptable to 
     the Secretary;
       ``(2) obligations of the United States Government; and
       ``(3) repurchase agreements with parties acceptable to the 
     Secretary.
       ``(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not require the 
     Secretary to invest a cash balance held in a particular 
     account.
       ``(c) The Secretary shall consider the prevailing market in 
     prescribing rates of interest for investments under 
     subsection (a)(1) of this section.
       ``(d)(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall submit each 
     fiscal year to the appropriate committees a report detailing 
     the investment of operating cash under subsection (a) for the 
     preceding fiscal year. The report shall describe the 
     Secretary's consideration of risks associated with 
     investments and the actions taken to manage such risks.
       ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `appropriate 
     committees' means the Committees on Financial Services and 
     Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committees on Finance and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
     of the Senate.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3441. Mrs. BOXER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services shall offer to enter into a contract with the 
     National Academy of Sciences under which the Academy shall 
     complete--
       (1) not later than 20 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, a report to assess the toxicological, 
     epidemiological, and related scientific evidence on the 
     effects of lead on sensitive subpopulations, particularly 
     children, including--
       (A) an examination of the relationships of blood lead 
     levels, including levels below 10 micrograms lead per 
     deciliter of blood, with deficits in cognitive functioning 
     and other health effects, including public health impacts;
       (B) a review of estimates, trends, and distributions of 
     lead exposures in children and other sensitive 
     subpopulations;
       (C) an identification of the scientific basis for 
     residential lead standards, practices for lead sampling in 
     buildings, and data gaps; and
       (D) recommendations for future research; and
       (2) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, a report to assess existing and forthcoming 
     research on the links between chemical contaminants and 
     reproductive health, including--
       (A) a review of developmental effects, including effects on 
     fetal development and long-term effects that may be 
     manifested in adults in the form of infertility, impaired 
     fertility, and related conditions;
       (B) a review of the current state of efforts by 
     practitioners to compile environmental histories of patients 
     with reproductive disorders, including infertility, poor 
     pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive tract abnormalities and 
     cancers;
       (C) a review of available research on the value of 
     environmental histories;
       (D) guidance for health care professionals as to the most 
     effective methods of compiling environmental histories 
     described in subparagraph (C); and
       (E) criteria for determining the reproductive and 
     developmental toxicity of chemicals, including early 
     indicators of potential reproductive and developmental 
     toxicity.
       (b) The Secretary shall use to pay the cost of completing 
     the report under subsection (a)(1) $750,000, and to pay the 
     cost of completing the report under subsection (a)(2) 
     $1,000,000, which amounts shall be derived by transfer, on a 
     pro rata basis, from each account from which travel expenses 
     for the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and 
     Human Services, and the Department of Education are paid, so 
     as to decrease the overall amounts available for those travel 
     expenses by $1,750,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3442. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place insert the following:

     SECTION 1. RECAPTURE OF UNUSED EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA NUMBERS.

       (a) In General.--Section 106(d) of the American 
     Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 
     (Public Law 106-313; 8 U.S.C. 1153 note) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by inserting ``1994, 1996, 1997, 1998'' after 
     ``available in fiscal year'';
       (B) by striking ``or 2004'' and inserting ``2004, or 
     2006''; and
       (C) by striking ``be available'' and all that follows and 
     inserting the following: ``be available only to--
       ``(A) employment-based immigrants under paragraph (1), (2), 
     and (3)(A)(i) and (ii) of section 203(b) of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b));
       ``(B) the family members accompanying or following to join 
     such employment-based immigrants under section 203( d) of 
     such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(d));
       ``(C) those immigrant workers who had petitions approved 
     based on Schedule A, Group I under section 656.5 of title 20, 
     Code of Federal Regulations, as promulgated by the Secretary 
     of Labor; and
       ``(D) aliens seeking immigrant visas who:
       (1) are otherwise admissible under the INA;
       (2) achieve the highest scores on the Scholastic Aptitude 
     Test or the American College Testing placement exam 
     administered in that fiscal year; and
       (3) take the exams described in (2) above in the English 
     language.'';
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``1999 through 2004'' 
     and inserting ``1994, 1996 through 1998, 2001 through 2004, 
     and 2006''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by amending clause (ii) to read as 
     follows:
       ``Distribution of visas.--The total number of visas made 
     available under paragraph (1) from unused visas from the 
     fiscal years 1994, 1996 through 1998, 2001 through 2004, and 
     2006 shall be distributed as follows:
       ``(I) The total number of visas made available for 
     immigrant workers who had petitions approved based on 
     Schedule A, Group I under section 656.5 of title 20, Code of 
     Federal Regulations, as promulgated by the Secretary of 
     Labor, shall not be less than 61,000.
       ``(II) The total number of visas made available for 
     qualifying immigrants under paragraph (1)(D) of section 
     106(d) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first 
     Century Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-313; 8 U.S.C. 1153 note), 
     as amended by this Act shall not be greater than 17,000.
       ``(III) The total number of visas remaining from the total 
     made available under paragraph (1) shall be allocated to 
     employment-based immigrants with approved petitions under 
     paragraph (1), (2), or (3)(A)(i) and (ii) of section 203(b) 
     of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)) and 
     their family members accompanying or following to join under 
     section 203(d) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(d)).''.
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Fee for recapture of unused employment-based 
     immigrant visas.--
       ``(A) In general.--In addition to required filing fees, the 
     Secretary shall impose a $1,500 recapture fee upon each 
     petitioning employer who uses a visa number recaptured under 
     this section.
       ``(B) The fee required under paragraph (A) shall not be 
     imposed for the use of such visas if the employer 
     demonstrates to the Secretary that--
       ``(I) the employer is a health care facility that is 
     located in a county or parish that received individual and 
     public assistance pursuant to Major Disaster Declaration 
     number 1603 or 1607; or
       ``(II) the employer is a health care facility that has been 
     designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area facility by 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services as defined in 
     section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254e).''
       ``(5) Domestic worker enhancement account.--
       ``(A) Establishment.--There is established in the general 
     fund to the Treasury a separate account which shall be known 
     as the ``Domestic Worker Enhancement Account.'' 
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there shall be 
     deposited as offsetting receipts into the account all fees 
     collected under this section.
       ``(B) Use of funds.--Amounts deposited pursuant to 
     paragraph 1(C) shall be made available to the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services for programs and projects described 
     in subpart 1 of part A of title VIII of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 201 et seq). Amounts 
     deposited pursuant to paragraph 1(A) and (B) shall be made 
     available to the Secretary of Labor for programs

[[Page 27767]]

     and projects described in Workforce Investment Act of 1998 
     (P.L. 105-220).

     SECTION 2. CAPITATION GRANTS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF 
                   NURSING FACULTY AND STUDENTS.

       Part D of title VIII of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 296p et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 832. CAPITATION GRANTS.

       ``(a) In General.--For the purpose described in subsection 
     (b), the Secretary, acting through the Health Resources and 
     Services Administration, shall award a grant each fiscal year 
     in an amount determined in accordance with subsection (c) to 
     each eligible school of nursing that submits an application 
     in accordance with this section.''
       ``(b) Purpose.--A funding agreement for a grant under this 
     section is that the eligible school of nursing involved will 
     expend the grant to increase the number of nursing faculty 
     and students at the school, including by hiring new faculty, 
     retaining current faculty, purchasing educational equipment 
     and audiovisual laboratories, enhancing clinical 
     laboratories, repairing and expanding infrastructure, or 
     recruiting students.
       ``(c) Grant Computation.--
       ``(1) Amount per student.--Subject to paragraph (2), the 
     amount of a grant to an eligible school of nursing under this 
     section for a fiscal year shall be the total of the 
     following:
       ``(A) $1,800 for each full-time or part-time student who is 
     enrolled at the school in a graduate program in nursing 
     that--
       ``(i) leads to a master's degree, a doctoral degree, or an 
     equivalent degree; and
       ``(ii) prepares individuals to serve as faculty through 
     additional course work in education and ensuring competency 
     in an advanced practice area.
       ``(B) $1,405 for each full-time or part-time student who--
       ``(i) is enrolled at the school in a program in nursing 
     leading to a bachelor of science degree, a bachelor of 
     nursing degree, a graduate degree in nursing if such program 
     does not meet the requirements of subparagraph (A), or an 
     equivalent degree; and
       ``(ii) has not more than 3 years of academic credits 
     remaining in the program.
       ``(C) $966 for each full-time or part-time student who is 
     enrolled at the school in a program in nursing leading to an 
     associate degree in nursing or an equivalent degree.
       ``(2) Limitation.--In calculating the amount of a grant to 
     a school under paragraph (1), the Secretary may not make a 
     payment with respect to a particular student--
       ``(A) for more than 2 fiscal years in the case of a student 
     described in paragraph (1)(A) who is enrolled in a graduate 
     program in nursing leading to a master's degree or an 
     equivalent degree;
       ``(B) for more than 4 fiscal years in the case of a student 
     described in paragraph (1)(A) who is enrolled in a graduate 
     program in nursing leading to a doctoral degree or an 
     equivalent degree;
       ``(C) for more than 3 fiscal years in the case of a student 
     described in paragraph (1)(B); or
       ``(D) for more than 2 fiscal years in the case of a student 
     described in paragraph (1)(C).
       ``(d) Eligibility.--In this section, the term `eligible 
     school of nursing' means a school of nursing that--
       ``(1) is accredited by a nursing accrediting agency 
     recognized by the Secretary of Education;
       ``(2) has a passage rate on the National Counsel Licensure 
     Examination for Registered Nurses of not less than 80 percent 
     for each of the 3 academic years preceding submission of the 
     grant application; and
       ``(3) has a graduation rate (based on the number of 
     students in a class who graduate relative to, for a 
     baccalaureate program, the number of students who were 
     enrolled in the class at the beginning of junior year or, for 
     an associate degree program, the number of students who were 
     enrolled in the class at the end of the first year) of not 
     less than 80 percent for each of the 3 academic years 
     preceding submission of the grant application.
       ``(c) Requirements.--The Secretary may award a grant under 
     this section to an eligible school of nursing only if the 
     school gives assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that, 
     for each academic year for which the grant is awarded, the 
     school will comply with the following:
       ``(1) The school will maintain a passage rate on the 
     National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses 
     of not less than 80 percent.
       ``(2) The school will maintain a graduation rate (as 
     described in subsection (d)(3)) of not less than 80 percent.
       ``(3)(A) Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the first 
     year enrollment of full-time nursing students in the school 
     will exceed such enrollment for the preceding academic year 
     by 5 percent or 5 students, whichever is greater.
       ``(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to the first 
     academic year for which a school receives a grant under this 
     section.
       ``(C) With respect to any academic year, the Secretary may 
     waive application of subparagraph (A) if--
       ``(i) the physical facilities at the school involved limit 
     the school from enrolling additional students; or
       ``(ii) the school has increased enrollment in the school 
     (as described in subparagraph (A)) for each of the 2 
     preceding academic years.
       ``(4) Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under 
     this section, the school will formulate and implement a plan 
     to accomplish at least 2 of the following:
       ``(A) Establishing or significantly expanding an 
     accelerated baccalaureate degree nursing program designed to 
     graduate new nurses in 12 to 18 months.
       ``(B) Establishing cooperative intradisciplinary education 
     among schools of nursing with a view toward shared use of 
     technological resources, including information technology.
       ``(C) Establishing cooperative interdisciplinary training 
     between schools of nursing and schools of allied health, 
     medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, optometry, podiatry, 
     pharmacy, public health, or veterinary medicine, including 
     for the use of the interdisciplinary team approach to the 
     delivery of health services.
       ``(D) Integrating core competencies on evidence-based 
     practice, quality improvements, and patient-centered care.
       ``(E) Increasing admissions, enrollment, and retention of 
     qualified individuals who are financially disadvantaged.
       ``(F) Increasing enrollment of minority and diverse student 
     populations.
       ``(G) increasing enrollment of new graduate baccalaureate 
     residency programs to prepare nurses for practice in 
     specialty areas where nursing shortages are most severe.
       ``(I) Increasing integration of geriatric content into the 
     core curriculum.
       ``(J) Partnering with economically disadvantaged 
     communities to provide nursing education.
       ``(K) Expanding the ability of nurse managed health centers 
     to provide clinical education training sites to nursing 
     students.
       ``(5) The school will submit an annual report to the 
     Secretary that includes updated information on the school 
     with respect to student enrollment, student retention, 
     graduation rates, passage rates on the national Council 
     Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, the number of 
     graduates employed as nursing faculty or nursing care 
     providers within 12 months of graduation, and the number of 
     students who are accepted into graduate programs for further 
     nursing education.
       ``(6) The school will allow the Secretary to make on-site 
     inspections, and will comply with the Secretary's request for 
     information, to determine the extent to which the school is 
     complying with the requirements of this section.
       ``(f) Reports to Congress.--The secretary shall evaluate 
     the results of grants under this section and submit to 
     Congress--
       ``(1) not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
     of the __ Act of 2007, an interim report on such results.
       ``(2) not later than September 30, 2010, a final report on 
     such results.
       ``(g) Application.--An eligible school of nursing seeking a 
     grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
       ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--The Secretary of 
     the Treasury shall make available to the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services an amount equal to the total amount of 
     fees collected in the Domestic Worker Enhancement Account, 
     established under paragraph (5) of section 106(d) of the 
     American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 
     2000 (Public Law 106-313; 8 U.S.C. 1153 note) as amended.
       (d) Attestation by Health Care Workers.--
       (1) Attestation requirement.--Section 212(a)(5) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(5)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(E) Health care workers with other obligations.--
       ``(i) In general.--An alien who seeks to enter the United 
     States for the purpose of performing labor as a physician or 
     other health care worker is inadmissible unless the alien 
     submits to the Secretary of Homeland Security or the 
     Secretary of State, as appropriate, an attestation that the 
     alien is not seeking to enter the United States for such 
     purpose during any period in which the alien has an 
     outstanding obligation to the government of the alien's 
     country of origin or the alien's country of residence.
       ``(ii) Obligation defined.--In this subparagraph, the term 
     `obligation' means an obligation incurred as part of a valid, 
     voluntary individual agreement in which the alien received 
     financial assistance to defray the costs of education or 
     training to qualify as a physician or other health care 
     worker in consideration for a commitment to work as a 
     physician or other health care worker in the alien's country 
     of origin or the alien's country of residence.
       ``(iii) Waiver.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
     waive a finding of inadmissibility under clause (i) if the 
     Secretary determines that--
       ``(I) the obligation was incurred by coercion or other 
     improper means;
       ``(II) the alien and the government of the country to which 
     the alien has an outstanding obligation have reached a valid, 
     voluntary agreement, pursuant to which the alien's obligation 
     has been deemed satisfied,

[[Page 27768]]

     or the alien has shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary 
     that the alien has been unable to reach such an agreement 
     because of coercion or other improper means; or
       ``(III) the obligation should not be enforced due to other 
     extraordinary circumstances, including undue hardship that 
     would be suffered by the alien in the absence of a waiver.''.
       (2) Effective date; application.--
       (A) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
     shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.
       (B) Application by the secretary.--Not later than the 
     effective date described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security shall begin to carry out subparagraph 
     (E) of section 212(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act, as added by paragraph (1), including the requirement for 
     the attestation and the granting of a waiver described in 
     clause (iii) of such subparagraph (E), regardless of whether 
     regulations to implement such subparagraph have been 
     promulgated.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3443. Mr. HATCH (for himself and Mr. Bennett) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) The amount appropriated under the heading 
     ``disease control, research, and training'' under the heading 
     ``Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'' in this title 
     is increased by $1,000,000.
       (b) The amount appropriated under the heading ``general 
     departmental management'' under the heading ``Office of the 
     Secretary'' in this title is increased by $1,000,000.
       (c)(1)(A) The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     (acting through the Director of the National Institute for 
     Occupational Safety and Health) shall conduct, and shall 
     invite the University of Utah and West Virginia University to 
     participate in conducting, a study of the recovery of coal 
     pillars through retreat room and pillar mining practices in 
     underground coal mines at depths greater than 1500 feet.
       (B) The study shall examine the safety implications of 
     retreat room and pillar mining practices, with emphasis on 
     the impact of full or partial pillar extraction mining.
       (C) The study shall consider, among other things--
       (i) the conditions under which retreat mining is used, 
     including conditions relating to--
       (I) seam thickness;
       (II) depth of cover;
       (III) strength of the mine roof, pillars, and floor; and
       (IV) the susceptibility of the mine to seismic activity; 
     and
       (ii) the procedures used to ensure miner safety during 
     retreat mining.
       (2)(A) Not later than 1 year after beginning the study 
     described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a 
     report containing the results of the study to the Committee 
     on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
     the Senate.
       (B) The report shall include recommendations to enhance the 
     safety of miners working in underground coal mines where 
     retreat mining in room and pillar operations is utilized. 
     Among other things, the recommendations shall identify means 
     of adapting any practical technology to the mining 
     environment to improve miner protections during mining at 
     depths greater than 1500 feet, and research needed to develop 
     improved technology to improve miner protections during 
     mining at such depths.
       (3) Not later than 90 days after the submission of the 
     report described in paragraph (2) to Congress, the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services shall publish a notice in the 
     Federal Register describing the actions, if any, that the 
     Secretary intends to take based on the report.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3444. Mr. HATCH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title I, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) The amount appropriated under the heading 
     ``salaries and expenses'' under the heading ``Mine Safety and 
     Health Administration'' in this title is increased by 
     $500,000.
       (b) The amount appropriated under the heading ``salaries 
     and expenses'' under the heading ``Departmental Management'' 
     in this title is decreased by $500,000.
       (c)(1) The Secretary of Labor (acting through the Assistant 
     Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health), in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     (acting through the Director of the National Institute for 
     Occupational Safety and Health) shall, using the increased 
     funds provided under subsection (a) conduct a study on the 
     effects of the closure of the Western Mining Technology 
     Center, closed in 2000. In conducting the study, the 
     Secretary of Labor shall examine the effect of the Center's 
     closure on the safety of deep cover mining, and shall provide 
     an estimate of the resources necessary to establish a new 
     center, located in the Intermountain West, relating to 
     western mining technology. In conducting the study, the 
     Secretary shall consult with interested groups representing 
     business and labor organizations.
       (2) The Secretary of Labor shall submit to the appropriate 
     commitees of Congress a report containing the results of the 
     study conducted under paragraph (1).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3445. Mr. DORGAN (for himself and Mr. Conrad) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3043, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a)  In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated 
     under this Act, there is appropriated, out of any money in 
     the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, an additional 
     $3,000,000 for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
     to make grants under the State Heart Disease and Stroke 
     Prevention Program.
        (b) Amounts made available under this Act for consulting 
     services for the Department of Labor, the Department of 
     Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education 
     shall be further reduced on a pro rata basis by the 
     percentage necessary to decrease the overall amount of such 
     spending by $3,000,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3446. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 3325 proposed by Mr. Harkin (for himself and Mr. 
Specter) to the bill H.R. 3043, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 85, line 10, strike the colon and insert
       ``Provided further, That, no less than 25% of the new 
     grants under the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling 
     program, shall be awarded to local education agencies that 
     demonstrate a need for additional counseling services due to 
     the impact of a federally declared major disaster or 
     emergency:''

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