CLAIMS

Bills and resolutions

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act: provide for equitable allotment of lands to Alaskan Natives who are veterans (see H.R. 3604), H8261 [7DE]

———provide for the recognition of certain Native communities and the settlement of certain claims (see H.R. 1306), H2214 [31MR]

———provide for the settlement of certain claims (see S. 730), S2130 [5AP] (see H.R. 1408), H2410 [6AP]

———resolve land claims of the Bering Straits Native Corp. (see S. 292), S569 [4FE] (see H.R. 296), H202 [12JA]

Americans With Disabilities Act: require a plaintiff to provide a defendant with an opportunity to voluntarily correct a violation prior to commencing civil action (see H.R. 881), H1524 [2MR] (see H.R. 3356), H7330 [3NO]

Armed Forces: allow for certiorari review of certain cases denied relief or review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (see S. 1664), S6330 [6OC] (see H.R. 3133), H6672 [6OC]

———extend time period for submission of retroactive stop-loss special pay claims (see H.R. 573), H598 [9FE]

Bankruptcy: combat creditor abuses in the bankruptcy process by providing remedies for negligent, reckless, or fraudulent assertion of claim (see S. 1054), S3274 [24MY]

———exempt firearms from claims of creditors (see H.R. 1181), H1983 [17MR]

BLM: provide small miner waivers from claim maintenance fees for a period of time after written receipt of defects is provided to the claimant to cure defects or pay the claim maintenance fee (see S. 303), S629 [8FE] (see H.R. 442), H470 [25JA]

Bureau of Reclamation: modify purposes and operation of certain facilities to implement water rights compact among Montana, the Blackfeet Indian Tribe, and the U.S. (see S. 399), S870 [17FE] (see H.R. 3301), H7207 [1NO]

Business and industry: remove the cap on punitive damages allowed under maritime law established by the Supreme Court in Exxon Shipping Co., v. Baker (see S. 592), S1750 [16MR]

Calderon, Alfonso: relief (H.R. 1108), refer to the Court of Federal Claims (see H. Res. 192), H2107 [30MR]

Canada: settle certain Pottawatomi Nation claims against the U.S. (see S. 60), S123 [25JA] (see H.R. 2928), H6181 [14SE]

Contracts: establish fair procedures for arbitration clauses (see S. 987), S2929 [12MY] (see S. 1186), S3727 [13JN] (see H.R. 1873), H3278 [12MY]

———provide personal jurisdiction in causes of action against U.S. contractors performing abroad relative to Armed Forces members or civilians performing work in connection with contractor activities (see S. 235), S359 [31JA]

Courts: authorize vicarious liability in certain civil actions dealing with the deprivation of rights (see H.R. 2043), H3755 [26MY]

———facilitate ability of persons affected by oil spills to seek judicial redress (see S. 594), S1751 [16MR] (see H.R. 2386), H4574 [24JN]

———limit jurisdiction of Federal courts (see H.R. 958), H1619 [8MR]

———provide that the statute of limitations must be raised as an affirmative defense in certain civil actions against terrorist States (see H.R. 2270), H4455 [22JN]

Cyprus: allow for certain property claims against Turkey arising out of exclusion of U.S. nationals from property such nationals own in Turkish-occupied territory (see H.R. 2597), H5284 [20JY]

Dept. of HHS: issue regulations to make available a searchable Medicare claims and payment database (see S. 756), S2266 [7AP]

Dept. of Justice: improve compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program for workers involved in uranium mining (see S. 791), S2387 [12AP] (see H.R. 1490), H2603 [12AP]

———improve efforts to combat fraud (see S. 890), S2730 [5MY]

———limit awarding of fees and lawsuits, reform reimbursement eligibility, and compile, and make publicly available, certain data relating to the Equal Access to Justice Act (see S. 1061), S3338 [25MY] (see H.R. 1996), H3644 (see H.R. 1996), H3682 [25MY]

Dept. of Labor: establish Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker Health to oversee contractor employee benefits of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (see H.R. 1030), H1725 [10MR]

———pay Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program benefits to survivors of eligible Dept. of Energy contractor employees (see H.R. 1029), H1725 [10MR]

———strengthen quality control measures in place for certain lung disease claims and certain processes with independent reviews under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (see S. 545), S1547 [10MR]

Dept. of the Army: determine validity of certain Filipinos' claims that they performed military service on behalf of the U.S. during World War II (see S. 63), S123 [25JA]

Dept. of the Interior: settle land claims within the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho (see S. 1065), S3338 [25MY]

Dept. of the Treasury: provide for transparency of payments made from the Judgment Fund (see H.R. 1446), H2569 [8AP]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: assess skills of certain employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration (see H.R. 2349), H4573 [24JN]

———carry out a pilot program under which certain veterans may submit claims for benefits to any regional office of the Dept. (see H.R. 1647), H2912 [15AP]

———improve appeals process and establish a commission to study judicial review of the determination of veterans' benefits (see H.R. 1484), H2603 [12AP]

———improve efficiency of processing certain claims for disability compensation by veterans (see H.R. 2053), H3756 [26MY]

———improve provision of assistance to homeless veterans, regulation of fiduciary matters, housing programs and loans, and other benefits (see S. 1148), S3497 [6JN]

———provide authority for retroactive effective date for awards of disability compensation in connection with applications that are fully-developed at submittal (see S. 423), S1060 [1MR]

———provide expedited procedures for consideration of certain veterans claims (see H.R. 2377), H4574 [24JN]

———provide for the tolling of the timing of review for appeals of final decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals (see H.R. 810), H1250 (see H.R. 810), H1362 [18FE]

———use electronic communication to provide required notice to claimants for benefits (see H.R. 2383), H4574 [24JN]

Disasters: create protection funds by property and casualty insurance companies for the payment of policyholders' claims arising from future catastrophic events (see H.R. 2101), H3985 [2JN]

District of Columbia: revise certain administrative authorities of the courts and authorize Public Defender Service to provide professional liability insurance for its officers and employees for certain claims (see S. 1379), S4640 [18JY]

Federal agencies and departments: increase transparency in payment of judgments and settlements by agencies (see S. 1712), S6505 [13OC]

Federal employees: authorize the use of clinical social workers to conduct evaluations to determine work-related emotional and mental illnesses (see S. 47), S123 [25JA]

Federal Water Pollution Control Act: require restitution for victims of criminal violations (see S. 350), S747 [15FE]

Foreign Claims Settlement Commission: receive and determine validity and amount of claims for loss of wages and other property of those plaintiffs in the case Bruce D. Abbott et al. v. Libya (see H.R. 3713), H9926 [16DE]

Foreign countries: take action against certain judgment-evading foreign states and state-owned corporations of such states (see S. 912), S2777 [9MY] (see H.R. 1798), H3114 [6MY]

Guam War Claims Review Commission: implement recommendations (see H.R. 44), H34 [5JA]

Health: improve medical justice system by encouraging prompt and fair resolution of disputes, fostering alternatives to litigation, and combating defensive medicine (see H.R. 2205), H4326 [16JN]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (see H.R. 364), H394 [20JA] (see H.R. 397), H433 [24JA]

———provide health care liability reform (see H.R. 896), H1573 [3MR]

———reduce health care and insurance costs through medical malpractice tort reform (see S. 197), S272 [26JA] (see S. 218), S338 [27JA] (see S. 1099), S3426 [26MY] (see H.R. 5), H433 [24JA]

———review claims about effects of foods and dietary supplements on health-related conditions and diseases (see H.R. 2044), H3755 [26MY]

Health care professionals: limit liability of volunteers who provide health care services in response to a disaster (see H.R. 3586), H8260 [7DE]

Honduras: limit assistance pending certification that the Government of Honduras has settled all outstanding expropriation claims brought by U.S. companies (see H.R. 2200), H4277 [15JN]

Indonesia: allow Indonesian citizens fleeing religious persecution to file a motion to reopen their asylum claims (see H.R. 3590), H8260 [7DE]

Insurance: allow enforcement of State disclosure laws and access to courts for covered Holocaust-era insurance policy claims (see H.R. 890), H1524 [2MR]

———restore rights for claimants under Holocaust-era insurance policies (see S. 466), S1120 [2MR]

Law enforcement: require Federal agencies to report to Congress serious crimes committed by confidential informants and amend time requirements to make tort claims arising from such crimes (see H.R. 3228), H6976 [14OC]

Medicaid: apply prompt pay requirement to claims for payment for covered items and services furnished by any Medicaid health care entity (see H.R. 3587), H8260 [7DE]

Medicare: establish a payment option to freely contract, without penalty, for fee-for-service items and services, while allowing beneficiaries to use their benefits (see S. 1042), S3224 [23MY] (see H.R. 1700), H2998 [3MY]

———increase minimum loss ratio required of Medigap policies (see S. 1416), S4911 [26JY] (see H.R. 2645), H5579 [26JY]

Mining and mineral resources: limit liability of a State performing reclamation work under an approved State abandoned mine reclamation plan (see S. 1003), S2992 [16MY]

Mohave County, AZ: include as an affected area for purposes of making claims under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act based on exposure to atmospheric nuclear testing (see H.R. 1608), H2911 [15AP]

Native Americans: settle claims of the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation concerning contributions to production of hydropower by the Grand Coulee Dam (see S. 1345), S4485 [11JY]

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: prevent from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice or medical product liability cases (see H.R. 816), H1250 (see H.R. 816), H1362 [18FE]

Power resources: establish procedures for causes and claims relative to leasing of Federal lands for exploration, production, or transmission of oil, natural gas, or any other form of energy (see H.R. 1032), H1768 [11MR]

———make the U.S. exclusively liable for certain claims of liability for damages resulting from, or aggravated by, inclusion of ethanol in transportation fuel (see H.R. 523), H549 [8FE]

Presidents of the U.S.: establish procedures for the consideration of claims of constitutionally based privilege against disclosure of Presidential records (see H.R. 3071), H6467 [29SE]

Rivera, Francisco: relief (H.R. 1108), refer to the Court of Federal Claims (see H. Res. 192), H2107 [30MR]

Rodriguez, Adrian: relief (H.R. 1107), refer to the Court of Federal Claims (see H. Res. 191), H2107 [30MR]

Social Security: improve Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program, provide for medical malpractice reform, repeal certain health care laws, and establish new child support and welfare formulas (see S. 1031), S3170 [19MY]

Taxation: create disaster protection funds in the District of Columbia by property and casualty insurance companies for payment of policyholders' claims arising from natural catastrophic events (see H.R. 3139), H6672 [6OC]

———disallow deductions for the payment of punitive damages (see S. 794), S2387 [12AP]

———exclude from income amounts received from certain unlawful discrimination claims and allow income averaging for backpay and frontpay awards from such claims (see S. 1781), S7066 [2NO] (see H.R. 3195), H6920 [13OC]

Terrorism: deter and provide justice for victims by ensuring foreign sponsors of terrorism are held accountable to their victims in U.S. courts (see S. 1894), S7702 [17NO]

Transportation: limit claims relative to decisions to issue permits, licenses, and approvals for highway and public transportation capital projects (see H.R. 2426), H4671 [6JY]

———modify deadline for filing a claim seeking judicial review of a permit, license, or approval issued by a Federal agency for a highway or public transportation capital project (see H.R. 1952), H3342 [23MY]

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: improve efficiency of appeals process by improving staff conferences (see S. 1172), S3683 [9JN]

U.S. Court of Federal Claims: confer jurisdiction to hear, determine, and render final judgment on any claim against the U.S. to receive compensation for the taking of certain lands in Missouri (see H.R. 197), H102 [6JA]

Veterans: clarify meaning of ``combat with the enemy'' for purposes of service-connection of disabilities (see H.R. 2419), H4671 [6JY]

Whistleblowing: expand whistleblower protections to non-Federal employees whose disclosures involve misuse of Federal funds (see S. 241), S359 [31JA]

World War II: ensure that U.S. courts provide a forum for claims brought against any railroad arising from the deportation of individuals to Nazi concentration camps (see S. 634), S1827 [17MR] (see H.R. 1193), H1984 [17MR]

Remarks in House

Armed Forces: allow for certiorari review of certain cases denied relief or review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (H.R. 3133), E1794 [6OC]

Bankruptcy: reform laws to provide equal level of bankruptcy relief to homeowners as business owners, H8969 [15DE]

Business and industry: limit settlements resulting from noncompliance with consumer protection and deceptive advertising laws, E2289 [16DE]

Courts: facilitate ability of persons affected by oil spills to seek judicial redress (H.R. 2386), E1205 [24JN]

———limit jurisdiction of Federal courts (H.R. 958), E433 [8MR]

Dept. of Agriculture: prohibit funding for settlement of claims by African-American farmers who suffered discrimination in the administration of farm credit and benefit programs, H4267, H4268 [15JN], H4319-H4322 [16JN], E1128 [16JN]

———pay Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program benefits to survivors of eligible Dept. of Energy contractor employees (H.R. 1029), E448 [10MR]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: assess skills of certain employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration (H.R. 2349), H6695-H6698 [11OC], E1819 [12OC], E1856 [13OC], E1892 [18OC]

———improve appeals process and establish a commission to study judicial review of the determination of veterans' benefits (H.R. 1484), H3775, H3776 [31MY]

———provide expedited procedures for consideration of certain veterans claims (H.R. 2377), H7212 [2NO]

———provide for the tolling of the timing of review for appeals of final decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals (H.R. 810), E447 [10MR]

Guam War Claims Review Commission: implement recommendations, H3427 [25MY]

———implement recommendations (H.R. 44), E10 [5JA]

Health: reduce health care and insurance costs through medical malpractice tort reform, H215, H225 [18JA], H288 [19JA], H4511 [23JN]

———review claims about effects of foods and dietary supplements on health-related conditions and diseases (H.R. 2044), E972 [27MY]

Indonesia: allow Indonesian citizens fleeing religious persecution to file a motion to reopen their asylum claims (H.R. 3590), E2202 [7DE]

Insurance: allow enforcement of State disclosure laws and access to courts for covered Holocaust-era insurance policy claims (H.R. 890), H7632 [16NO]

Medicare: increase minimum loss ratio required of Medigap policies (H.R. 2645), E1411 [26JY]

World War II: ensure that U.S. courts provide a forum for claims brought against any railroad arising from the deportation of individuals to Nazi concentration camps (H.R. 1193), H7632 [16NO], E528 [17MR]

Remarks in Senate

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act: anniversary, S8665, S8666 [15DE]

———provide for the settlement of certain claims (S. 730), S2135 [5AP]

———resolve land claims of the Bering Straits Native Corp. (S. 292), S569 [4FE], S6691 [18OC]

Argentina: impact of debt default, S1398 [8MR]

Armed Forces: allow for certiorari review of certain cases denied relief or review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (S. 1664), S6334 [6OC]

Bankruptcy: combat creditor abuses in the bankruptcy process by providing remedies for negligent, reckless, or fraudulent assertion of claim (S. 1054), S3276 [24MY]

Bureau of Reclamation: modify purposes and operation of certain facilities to implement water rights compact among Montana, the Blackfeet Indian Tribe, and the U.S. (S. 399), S904 [17FE]

Canada: settle certain Pottawatomi Nation claims against the U.S. (S. 60), S173 [25JA]

Dept. of HHS: issue regulations to make available a searchable Medicare claims and payment database (S. 756), S2268, S2269 [7AP]

Dept. of Justice: improve compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program for workers involved in uranium mining (S. 791), S2393 [12AP]

———improve efforts to combat fraud, S7801 [18NO]

———improve efforts to combat fraud (S. 890), S2733 [5MY]

———limit awarding of fees and lawsuits, reform reimbursement eligibility, and compile, and make publicly available, certain data relating to the Equal Access to Justice Act, S7275 [9NO]

Dept. of the Army: determine validity of certain Filipinos' claims that they performed military service on behalf of the U.S. during World War II (S. 63), S177 [25JA]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: improve provision of assistance to homeless veterans, regulation of fiduciary matters, housing programs and loans, and other benefits (S. 1148), S3503 [6JN]

False Claims Act: abolish the qui tam provisions of patent law to protect against frivolous and vexatious lawsuits concerning the false patent marking statute, S1368 [8MR]

Federal Water Pollution Control Act: require restitution for victims of criminal violations (S. 350), S748 [15FE]

Health: reduce health care and insurance costs through medical malpractice tort reform, S448 [2FE], S7274, S7275 [9NO]

Medicare: increase minimum loss ratio required of Medigap policies (S. 1416), S4912 [26JY]

Russia: international court rulings on the legitimacy of Russian Government expropriation of Yukos Oil Co., S2721 [5MY]

Taxation: disallow deductions for the payment of punitive damages (S. 794), S2395 [12AP]

Terrorism: deter and provide justice for victims by ensuring foreign sponsors of terrorism are held accountable to their victims in U.S. courts (S. 1894), S7710 [17NO]

Reports filed

Environmental Crimes Enforcement Act: Committee on the Judiciary (Senate) (S. 350), S3170 [19MY]

Fighting Fraud To Protect Taxpayers Act: Committee on the Judiciary (Senate) (S. 890), S3170 [19MY]

Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 5) (H. Rept. 112-39), H3341 [23MY]

———Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 5) (H. Rept. 112-39), H1982 [17MR]

Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Senate) (S. 292) (S. Rept. 112-52), S5338 [6SE]

Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization and Jobs Protection Act: Committee on Natural Resources (House) (H.R. 1408) (H. Rept. 112-280), H7405 [10NO]

Veterans Appeals Improvement Act: Committee on Veterans' Affairs (House) (H.R. 1484) (H. Rept. 112-83), H3341 [23MY]

Veterans' Benefits Act: Committee on Veterans' Affairs (House) (H.R. 2349) (H. Rept. 112-241), H6671 [6OC]

Texts of

H.R. 1484, Veterans Appeals Improvement Act, H3775 [31MY]

H.R. 2349, Veterans' Benefits Act, H6695 [11OC]

S. 60, settle certain Canadian Pottawatomi Nation claims against the U.S., S174 [25JA]

S. 63, determine validity of certain Filipinos' claims that they performed military service on behalf of the U.S. during World War II, S178 [25JA]

S. 292, Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act, S6691 [18OC]

S. 350, Environmental Crimes Enforcement Act, S748 [15FE]

S. 730, Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization and Jobs Protection Act, S2136-S2138 [5AP]

S. 756, Medicare Data Access for Transparency and Accountability Act, S2269 [7AP]

S. 794, Protecting American Taxpayers From Misconduct Act, S2395 [12AP]

S. 890, Fighting Fraud To Protect Taxpayers Act, S2733-S2735 [5MY]

S. 1054, Fighting Fraud in Bankruptcy Act, S3277 [24MY]

S. 1148, Veterans Programs Improvement Act, S3503-S3507 [6JN]

S. 1664, Equal Justice for Our Military Act, S6334 [6OC]