HART, MELISSA A. (a Representative from Pennsylvania)

Amendments

Higher Education Act: amend and extend (H.R. 609), H1278 [29MR]

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

Alex's Lemonade Stand Days: support goals and ideals (see H. Con. Res. 368), H1744 [25AP]

American Council of Young Political Leaders: anniversary (see H. Con. Res. 430), H4008 [14JN]

Animals: ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally (see H.R. 5229), H1915 [27AP]

Armed Forces: prohibit certain demonstrations at cemeteries under the control of the National Cemetery Administration and at Arlington National Cemetery (see H.R. 5037), H1391 [30MR]

ATF: modernize and reform (see H.R. 5092), H2962 [19MY]

Belarus: support democracy efforts, rule of law, respect for human rights, and a free and fair Presidential election (see H. Res. 673), H646 [7MR]

Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission: extend (see H.R. 4586), H1320 [29MR]

CERCLA: provide that manure is not considered a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant (see H.R. 4341), H333 [15FE]

Charities: encourage all Americans to increase charitable giving (see H. Con. Res. 337), H225 [8FE]

Children and youth: improve foster care court capacity through grants, loan forgiveness, and performance measurement (see H.R. 5436), H2961 [19MY]

———improve protections of children and hold States accountable for the orderly and timely placement of children across State lines (see H.R. 5403), H2705 (see H.R. 5403), H2757 [17MY]

———reauthorize permanently the use of penalty and franked mail in efforts to locate and recover missing children (see H.R. 4416), H2174 [4MY]

China, People's Republic of: condemn escalating levels of religious persecution (see H. Res. 608), H646 [7MR]

———condemn unauthorized, inappropriate, and coerced ordination of Catholic bishops (see H. Res. 804), H2706 (see H. Res. 804), H2759 [17MY]

Colleges and universities: permit States to determine residency standards for higher education purposes and cancel removal and adjust status of certain long-term resident alien students (see H.R. 5131), H1677 [6AP]

Committees of the House: establish a select committee to oversee, investigate, and maximize the necessarily significant appropriations expended to win the war on terrorism, especially within Afghanistan and Iraq (see H. Res. 589), H451 [28FE]

Congressional Gold Medal: award posthumously to United Airlines Flight 93 passengers recognizing the heroic efforts (see H.R. 5159), H1678 [6AP]

Courts: limit the duration of Federal consent decrees to which State and local governments are a party (see H.R. 1229), H2102 [3MY]

———strengthen enforcement of spousal court-ordered property distributions (see H.R. 5188), H2833 (see H.R. 5188), H2891 [18MY]

Crime: expand and modernize prohibition against interstate gambling (see H.R. 4777), H387 [16FE]

———strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting (see H.R. 817), H3642 [8JN]

Dept. of HHS: authorize appropriations for the health centers program (see H.R. 5201), H4134 [15JN]

Dept. of Justice: reauthorize grant program for reentry of offenders into the community and establish a task force on Federal programs and activities relating to the reentry of offenders into the community (see H.R. 1704), H450 [28FE]

Dept. of the Treasury: require certain additional calculations to be included in the annual financial statement covering accounts and associated activities of the executive branch (see H.R. 5129), H1853 [26AP]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: recalculate retirement annuities for certain health care professionals performing part-time services (see H.R. 4298), H1563 [5AP]

Disasters: prohibit the confiscation of firearms during certain national emergencies (see H.R. 5013), H4958 [10JY]

Discrimination: prohibit on the basis of genetic information relative to insurance and employment (see H.R. 1227), H2174 [4MY]

Diseases: enhance public and health professional awareness and understanding of lupus and strengthen research efforts to identify the causes and cure of lupus (see H.R. 3307), H1197 [28MR]

———prevent and cure diabetes and promote and improve the care of diabetic individuals within minority populations (see H.R. 5225), H4009 [14JN]

Education: tribute to Catholic schools (see H. Res. 657), H24 [31JA]

Egypt: condemn terrorist bombings in Dahab and Northern Sinai (see H. Res. 795), H2340 [9MY]

Employment: protect volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel responding to national emergencies from termination or demotion in their places of employment (see H.R. 3949), H5047 [11JY]

FAA: replace Administrator's arbitrary authority to impose wages and working conditions with neutral binding arbitration in the case of an impasse in labor-management negotiations (see H.R. 4755), H451 [28FE]

Families and domestic relations: constitutional amendment relative to definition of marriage (see H.J. Res. 88), H4918 [29JN]

Federal agencies and departments: establish a commission to review efficiency and need for certain agencies (see H.R. 3282), H4680 [27JN]

———prohibit obligating funds for appropriations earmarks included only in congressional reports (see H.R. 1642), H25 [31JA]

Federal aid programs: require data relative to Federal financial assistance to be available for public access in a searchable and user friendly form (see H.R. 5060), H4190 [16JN]

FEMA: permit access to databases to comply with sex offender registry and notification laws (see H.R. 4381), H5047 [11JY]

Firearms: allow State concealed handgun carrying licenses to be valid in all States and exempt current and former law enforcement officers from State laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed handguns (see H.R. 4547), H646 [7MR]

Foreign trade: amend trade laws to address import crises (see H.R. 5529), H3423 [6JN]

France: condemn naming of street in Denis, France, honoring Mumia Abu-Jamal (see H. Con. Res. 407), H3138 [23MY]

FTC: establish Office of Internet Safety and Public Awareness (see H.R. 4982), H3016 [22MY]

H. Gordon Payrow Post Office Building, Bethlehem, PA: designate (see H.R. 4786), H388 [16FE]

Help America Vote Act: extend deadline by which States which received payments under such Act for the replacement of punch card or lever voting systems must ensure that all such systems are replaced (see H.R. 4666), H868 [9MR]

House Rules: repeal rule on the statutory limit on the public debt (see H. Res. 903), H4916 [29JN]

Housing: modernize and update the National Housing Act and enable the FHA to use risk-based pricing to more effectively reach underserved borrowers (see H.R. 5121), H3643 [8JN]

Immigration and Nationality Act: exempt boilermakers from the numerical limitation applicable to nonimmigrants issued a visa or provided status (see H.R. 3644), H1197 [28MR]

Insurance: promote health care coverage parity for individuals participating in legal recreational or transportation activities (see H.R. 2793), H1980 [2MY]

Investments: establish and provide for treatment of individual development accounts (see H.R. 4751), H273 [14FE]

Irish-American Heritage Month: designate (see H. Res. 733), H1130 [16MR]

Korean War Veterans Association, Inc.: grant Federal charter (see H.R. 3476), H509 [1MR]

Law enforcement: ensure that a sex offender or a sexually violent predator is not eligible for parole (see H.R. 4621), H509 [1MR]

Lincoln, Abraham: mint coins in commemoration of bicentennial of birth (see H.R. 2808), H3016 [22MY]

Medicare: amend the application of secondary payer rules to workers' compensation settlement agreements and set-asides under such agreements (see H.R. 5309), H2174 [4MY]

———exempt complex rehabilitation and assistive technology products from competitive acquisition program (see H.R. 4994), H4134 [15JN]

———improve payments made by prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage-Prescription Drug plans to pharmacies for covered drugs (see H.R. 5166), H2962 [19MY]

———provide coverage for cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation services (see H.R. 4824), H2174 [4MY]

Mental health: increase awareness of autism spectrum disorder, support programs for research and improved treatment, and improve training for health care professionals (see H. Res. 158), H1854 [26AP]

Middle East: promote the development of democratic institutions in areas under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority (see H.R. 4681), H274 [14FE]

National Crime Victims' Rights Week: support goals and ideals (see H. Con. Res. 378), H1681 [6AP]

National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 222), H2103 [3MY]

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: authorize development of research centers focusing on environmental factors related to the etiology of breast cancer (see H.R. 2231), H2833 (see H.R. 2231), H2890 [18MY]

National Internet Safety Month: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 800), H4134 [15JN]

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day: add to the list of days on which the flag should be especially displayed (see H.R. 4922), H1563 [5AP]

Nelson, Byron: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 4902), H1131 [16MR]

Office of Veterans Identity Protection Claims: establish to reimburse persons for injuries suffered due to unauthorized use, disclosure, or dissemination of stolen identifying information (see H.R. 5520), H3308 (see H.R. 5520), H3360 [25MY]

Paris Wine Tasting: anniversary of U.S. winemakers' victory (see H. Con. Res. 399), H2101 [3MY]

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act: ensure that continuation of welfare reforms remains a priority (see H. Con. Res. 438), H4680 [27JN]

Pittsburgh Steelers (football team): tribute (see H. Res. 670), H160 [7FE]

Political campaigns: reform financing of campaigns for election for Federal office (see H.R. 4759), H1853 [26AP]

Public welfare programs: reauthorize the safe and stable families program (see H.R. 5640), H4424 [21JN]

Puerto Rico: provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination process (see H.R. 4867), H564 [2MR]

Schools: prohibit from receiving Federal funds if the school prevents a student from displaying or wearing in a respectful manner a representation of the U.S. flag (see H.R. 5255), H4328 [20JN]

Social Security: allow choice of benefit payment method relative to computation rule application to workers attaining age 65 in or after 1982 (see H.R. 615), H450 [28FE]

———continuation of benefit payment through the month of the beneficiary's death (see H.R. 5189), H4134 [15JN]

Tariff: ethanol (see H.R. 5170), H1917 [27AP]

Taxation: allow a credit against income tax for qualified equity investments in certain small businesses (see H.R. 5198), H3724 [9JN]

———allow a tax credit for the purchase of hearing aids (see H.R. 414), H2585 [11MY]

———allow bonds guaranteed by Federal home loan banks to be treated as tax exempt bonds (see H.R. 5177), H2503 [10MY]

———allow deduction for qualified timber gains (see H.R. 3883), H274 [14FE]

———allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums (see H.R. 994), H3226 [24MY]

———allow use of flexible spending and health reimbursement arrangements in combination with health savings accounts (see H.R. 4511), H1743 [25AP]

———clarify treatment of self-employment for purposes of the limitation on State taxation of retirement income (see H.R. 4019), H451 [28FE]

———expand expensing for small business (see H.R. 4790), H1853 [26AP]

———extend the investment tax credit relative to solar energy property and qualified fuel cell property (see H.R. 5206), H2586 [11MY]

———extend the new market tax credit (see H.R. 3957), H3424 [6JN]

———improve and expand availability of health savings accounts (see H.R. 5743), H4916 [29JN]

———increase exclusion equivalent of the unified credit allowed against the estate tax and repeal sunset provision for the estate and generation-skipping taxes (see H.R. 5638), H4424 [21JN]

———make the credit for prior year minimum tax liability refundable for certain individuals and require returns with respect to certain stock options (see H.R. 3385), H2833 (see H.R. 3385), H2890 [18MY]

———permit consolidation of life insurance companies with other companies (see H.R. 3019), H2833 (see H.R. 3019), H2890 [18MY]

———provide tax incentives for the payment of premiums for high deductible health plans (see H.R. 5262), H3138 [23MY]

Telephones: prohibit deceptive altering or disguising of caller identification on outbound telephone calls (see H.R. 5304), H2174 [4MY]

Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee: establish (see H.R. 3427), H4424 [21JN]

Tick-Borne Disorders Advisory Committee: establish (see H.R. 2526), H2102 [3MY]

Transportation Security Administration: prohibit removal of any item from the current list of items prohibited from being carried aboard a passenger aircraft (see H.R. 4452), H566 [2MR]

U.N.: sanction Iran for its noncompliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (see H. Res. 782), H1852 [26AP]

Ukraine: normal trade relations status (see H.R. 1053), H645 [7MR]

Ukrainian American Veterans, Inc.: grant Federal charter (see H.R. 769), H25 [31JA]

Veterans: expand and make permanent the benefit for governmental markers for marked graves of veterans at private cemeteries (see H.R. 5499), H4555 [26JN]

———increase amount of Medal of Honor special pension and provide for payment of that pension to the surviving spouse of a deceased Medal of Honor recipient (see H.R. 5669), H5128 [12JY]

Water: authorize appropriations for State water pollution control revolving funds (see H.R. 2684), H790 [8MR]

Women: issue of a semipostal in order to afford a convenient means by which members of the public may contribute towards the acquisition of works of art to honor female pioneers in Government service (see H.R. 5065), H1563 [5AP]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail: extend (see H.R. 5053), H1389 [30MR]

Robert Linn Memorial Post Office Building, Beaver, PA: designate (see H.R. 4768), H387 [16FE]

Taxation: allow a credit for volunteer firefighters (see H.R. 5355), H2584 [11MY]

———allow self-employed individuals to deduct health insurance costs in computing self-employment taxes (see H.R. 4961), H1059 [15MR]

———limit development or implementation of a return-free tax system (see H.R. 5114), H1676 [6AP]

———modernize treatment of biomedical research corporations (see H.R. 5115), H1676 [6AP]

Remarks

Armed Forces: tribute, E1363 [11JY]

Beaver County, PA: tribute to Beaver County Children and Youth Services, E635 [27AP]

Budget: reconciliation of the tax relief provisions of the concurrent resolution (H.R. 4297), conference report, H2458 [10MY]

———reconciliation of the tax relief provisions of the concurrent resolution (H.R. 4297), motion to instruct conferees, H1286 [29MR]

Children and youth: improve protections of children and hold States accountable for the orderly and timely placement of children across State lines (H.R. 5403), H3153 [24MY]

Chinese New Year: observance, E101 [8FE]

Colleges and universities: establish pregnant and parenting student services offices, H1278 [29MR]

Cranberry Township, PA: observance of Community Day, E1364 [11JY]

Credit: improve ratings quality through competition, transparency, and accountability in the credit rating agency industry (H.R. 2990), H5083 [12JY]

Economy: growth, H2458 [10MY]

———impact of tax cuts, H1286 [29MR]

Education: tribute to Catholic schools (H. Res. 657), H175, H179 [8FE]

Farrell, PA: anniversary of Hour of Power Full Gospel Tabernacle, Inc., E1131 [13JN]

———anniversary of Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol, E638 [27AP]

Glenshaw, PA: tribute to Shaler Area High School softball team, E1366 [11JY]

Greensburg, PA: anniversary of Sisters of St. Emma, E102 [8FE]

Hanna, Howard W., III (Hoddy): Anti-Defamation League National American Heritage Award recipient, E255 [2MR]

Higher Education Act: amend and extend (H.R. 609), H1278 [29MR]

Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (organization): tribute to Pennsylvania-West seminar at Washington and Jefferson College, E640 [27AP]

Lawrnence County, PA: anniversary of Lawrence County Crisis Shelter, E262 [2MR]

Marion Township, PA: anniversary of Goehring Farm, E638 [27AP]

McCandless, PA: tribute to McCandless Rotary Club, E104 [8FE]

Medicare: prescription drug benefit coverage, H1834 [26AP], H1926 [2MY], H2345 [10MY]

Millvale, PA: anniversary of Volunteer Fire Dept., E355 [14MR]

National Association of the Wolves: tribute, E1128 [13JN]

National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month: support goals and ideals (H. Con. Res. 357), E634 [27AP]

National Flood Insurance Program: restore financial solvency (H.R. 4973), H4591 [27JN]

Natrona Bottling Co.: anniversary, E1365 [11JY]

Natrona Heights, PA: Highlands School District recipient of Pittsburgh Human Resources Association People Do Matter Rising Star Award, E464 [30MR]

New Castle, PA: anniversary of Order of DeMolay Builders chapter 39095, E258 [2MR]

Pittsburgh, PA: National Association of Women Business Owners Greater Pittsburgh chapter Make the Connection Award honorees, E465 [30MR]

———tribute to Fox Chapel High School marching band, E96 [8FE]

Pittsburgh Steelers (football team): tribute (H. Res. 670), H166 [8FE]

Sebastian, Jeffrey: Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award recipient for Pennsylvania, E99 [8FE]

Taxation: increase exclusion equivalent of the unified credit allowed against the estate tax and repeal sunset provision for the estate and generation-skipping taxes (H.R. 5638), H4452 [22JN]

———provide relief from the alternative minimum tax, H1286 [29MR]

———repeal sunset on reduction of capital gains rates for individuals and on taxation of dividends of individuals at capital gain rates, H1286 [29MR]

Terrorism: commend those who have taken part, and declare that the U.S. will prevail, in the Global War on Terror and complete mission to create a sovereign and free Iraq (H. Res. 861), H4048 [15JN]

Votes: position on missed, H3939 [14JN]

Tributes

Barber, Kayla, E469 [30MR]

Bianco, Dave, E639 [27AP]

Freed, Andrea, E466 [30MR]

Imler, Alyssa, E102 [8FE]

Iris, Donnie, E1129 [13JN]

Mohan, Charles, E637 [27AP]

Montgomery, Desirae, E468 [30MR]

Patton, Ryan, E101 [8FE]

Rubano, Richard R., Jr., E636 [27AP]

Rubano, Robert R., Jr., E463 [30MR]

Shovlin, Bill, E355 [14MR]

Starz, Terence W., E97 [8FE]