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Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to cancel the Perkins loans of full-time federal, state, and local fire fighters.
- Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in order to carry out the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) quality assurance program with respect to the administration of veterans' disability compensation, to ensure the accuracy and consistency across VA offices of the treatment of claims for disability compensation, including disability rating determinations and whether a disability is service-connected.
- Requires the Secretary to conduct reviews and audits, at least annually, to identify and correct any inaccuracies or inconsistencies in disability ratings and the adjudication of disability compensation claims by VA regional offices and employees responsible for such ratings or adjudications.
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- Disqualifies an acquiring corporation, or any subsidiary of such a corporation, that enters into a corporate expatriation transaction from federal contract awards for five years. Authorizes the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy to extend the period of ineligibility as a penalty for failure to disclose such a transaction.
- Authorizes a presidential waiver in the interest of national security.
- Disqualifies any entity doing business with, or having a parent or subsidiary doing business with, a state sponsor of terrorism or foreign terrorist organization from federal contract awards for at least five years. Exempts entities selling food, agricultural commodities, medicine, or medical products under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.
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- Amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act to treat as a disability for OASDI and SSI disability payment purposes any service-connected disability rated and certified by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as total by reason of unemployability, and expected to last at least one year.
- Applies the same treatment to related child's insurance and widow's and widower's insurance benefits.
- Makes medical findings by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of total service-connected disability by reason of unemployability conclusive evidence of disability for OASDI and SSI purposes.
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Co-Sponsored Bills
- Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through various federal agencies, to develop a national Shaken Baby Syndrome public health campaign. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop a National Action Plan and effective strategies to increase awareness of opportunities to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome; and (2) coordinate the Plan and strategies with evidence-based strategies and efforts that support families with infants and other young children.
- Directs the Secretary to carry out communication, education, and training about Shaken Baby Syndrome prevention, including efforts to communicate with the general public, such as by: (1) disseminating effective prevention practices and techniques to parents and caregivers; (2) producing evidence-based educational and information materials; and (3) carrying out Shaken Baby Syndrome training.
- Requires the Secretary to work to ensure that the parents and caregivers of children are connected to effective supports through the coordination of existing programs and networks or the establishment of new programs, including a 24-hour phone hotline and the development of an Internet website for round-the-clock support.
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- Designates March 2008 as MRSA Awareness Month.
- Recognizes: (1) the need to apply what is already known about reducing the transmission of infections in hospitals, effectively using diagnostics, and ensuring appropriate use of antibiotics to meet patient and public health needs; (2) the need to pursue operational research to find the best ways of preventing hospital- and community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and developing new antibiotics for improving care for MRSA patients; and (3) the importance of raising awareness of MRSA and methods of preventing MRSA infections.
- Expresses support for the work of advocates, healthcare practitioners, and science-based experts in educating, supporting, and providing hope for individuals and their families affected by community and healthcare associated infections.
- Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to revise the definition of "food of minimal nutritional value," the sale of which in areas where school meals are sold or eaten is prohibited as a condition for federal funding of school lunch and breakfast programs.
- Applies such definition (and prohibition) to all food sold outside such programs anywhere on school campuses at any time of the day, with the possible limited exemption of food sold at school fundraisers.
- Requires the Secretary, when revising such definition, to consider the recommendations of authoritative scientific organizations and evidence concerning the relationship between diet and health.
- Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award quality reform grants to eligible entities to enhance, encourage, and expedite implementation of quality reform plans in order to: (1) encourage the coordinated development of local health care quality reforms; (2) fund the development of practices beneficial to the health care system; (3) expand information technology, electronic health records, and interoperable data systems in the health care system; (4) develop reimbursement practices that align financial incentives with health and prevention reforms to identify and encourage best practices; (5) lower the costs of health care delivery; (6) encourage experimentation in different U.S. regions; and (7) reward cooperation among local entities engaged in reforming the health care system.
- Requires the Secretary to establish the Quality Reform Committee, which shall: (1) approve the application of an eligible entity and recommend to the Secretary that a grant be awarded; (2) evaluate and exchange best practices related to activities carried out under the grant; (3) share research and expertise; and (4) study, identify, and report on market failures and anomalies that create economic incentives adverse to achievement of the goals of quality reform, cost reduction, health information technology expansion, and illness prevention.
Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should enact legislation to: (1) restore and enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces for deterrence, combat, and post-conflict operations; (2) enhance the readiness of the Armed Forces, including the reset of military equipment; and (3) support the men and women of the Armed Forces, including members of the National Guard and Reserves.
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