HR 4109 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 21, 2008 (4:52am)
The many supporters of this Bill hope that it will successfully address the many unintended consequences and problems of the 1996 Prison Litigation Reform Act, such as denial of access to religious services and inadequate time for filing of grievances. There is no current public opposition, since groups on both sides of the aisle see need for reform, however there might be some concerns that it might increase the number of lawsuits filed by prisoners and completely undo the intended effects of the original PLRA.
H.R. 5579 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 18, 2008 (10:06pm)
Supporters of this bill hope that it will be a productive starting point to help those who are falling victim to the current housing crisis and also prevent lenders from losing money. Some however have expressed concern that this bill will open the proverbial floodgates by allowing one of the parties in a contract to change the terms and will discourage future lenders.
H.R. 5715 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 18, 2008 (9:29pm)
Supporters of this bill are happy to see Congress being proactive on this matter and seeking to improve and sustain access to Student Loans and promote safe lending during the current economic uncertainty. Some are critical however of the measures this bill is taking to do so however, because they are concerned that some of them will not effectively protect disadvantaged students from schools who do not have their best interests at heart and will only exacerbate the problem.
S. 722 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 7, 2008 (7:01am)
Supporters of this bill argue that it will enable better management and preservation of the resources at Walnut Canyon. Some groups however, have expressed concern that it does not do enough to protect specific resources, such as those significant to the Native American community.
S.686 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 4, 2008 (11:28pm)
Supporters of this bill argue that it will give American’s the opportunity to retrace the steps of the American and French soldiers from Rhode Island to Virginia, as well as provide for the creation of many tourist attractions along the way. It will also acknowledge the contribution of the French soldiers to American history, and the French Ambassador has reportedly expressed his approval. There is no opposition, although some groups have expressed concern that their towns might not be on the map.
S. 637 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 4, 2008 (10:27pm)
Supporters of the bill hope that the study will result in the establishment of a National Heritage Area which will increase tourism and bring funding to the area. There is no known opposition, although some might be concerned that this will involve an increase in funding for conservation when there are other areas under the jurisdiction of the Department of Interior in need of funding.
H.R. 2207 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 4, 2008 (6:56am)
Due to the significant damage from national disasters and weather that farmers have endured from 2005-2007, this bill will provide compensation to those farmers for the damage incurred for one of those years. Farmers of course support this because these disasters have had such a widespread impact, and left many in need of the aid this bill would provide. The only opposition appears to be coming from the President who has released a statement which promises to veto the bill due to what it calls “excessive non-emergency spending.”
S. 241 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 4, 2008 (6:46am)
Supporters of this bill hope that it will enable the National Park System to negotiate with nearby landowners, among others, for the better management and protection of Park Resources. There is no known opposition to this bill, however some might be concerned that parts of the bill that would allow the NPS to become involved or responsible for land outside the NPS, might result in a shift of resources away from land already under it’s control, and might also be concerned with what exactly the benefits that Secretary would be authorized to offer would entail.
S. 2242 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 4, 2008 (6:30am)
This bill is supported by organizations involved with pesticides because the tax credit will cover 30% of funds they use to increase security measures and equipment, and by Farmers who will benefit from the added security of the agricultural disaster insurance. Those who oppose it however, worry that the provision to codify the economic substance doctrine will be an ineffective and potentially harmful solution.
H.R. 2135 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 3, 2008 (10:02pm)
Supporters of the bill, who include Farmers, some livestock producers, pro-agriculture, and pro-competition groups argue that it will help them by encouraging competition through increased transparency of the industry. Some groups of the meat and livestock industries however, oppose the bill because of the new restrictions it might place that would limit their options for raising and marketing livestock, and because they consider the market reforms unnecessary and even harmful.
S. 1745 by Kaileigh McCrea, Mar 20, 2008 (5:42am)
This bill has been quite controversial. It is supported by groups in the sciences, the police, and other potential beneficiaries of the funding, but it is opposed by their government counterparts like NASA. Some have praised the authors of the bill for managing so well with the small amount of money they were given, while others, most notably President Bush, have criticized it for its excessive spending. The President’s administration has issued a statement saying that he will veto the bill if it is passed.
S. 638 by Kaileigh McCrea, Mar 14, 2008 (9:28pm)
This bill has gotten a great deal of support from the Greek community, since it would make Greek foundations, and other non-profits, eligible to make tax-deductible donations to make improvements and maintain the upkeep of their houses. The awarding of grants to these organizations might keep them from having to raise dues and rent and help provide safe, affordable housing for college students. There is no listed opposition to this bill, however some might argue that these groups are in a position to find a way to pay for these improvements themselves and should not be relying on donations from other non-profit organizations. Some might also wonder if this would result in any money being diverted from campus provided housing options.
S. 1079 by Kaileigh McCrea, Mar 13, 2008 (8:27pm)
This act does not currently have any support or opposition. However, supporters would probably argue that this bill would be important in that the commission would be dedicated to finding ways to remind Americans of the importance of the frequently forgotten War of 1812 and its relation to the composition of the star spangled banner. Opposition would probably take issue with the massive amount of money being spent on a bill that will not have any noticeable impact on the welfare of the country.
S 1957 by Kaileigh McCrea, Mar 10, 2008 (12:28pm)
This bill has been very controversial, not just within the fashion
industry, but among consumers as well. Supporters of the bill include several well known fashion designers who resent having their runway designs copied, sometimes only slightly changed, and within hours being marketed in stores for a much lower price and quality. Sometimes designs are leaked prematurely and clothing appears in the store before it even appears on the runway. Designers claim that this is piracy, and they should have protection from a practice that is hurting their businesses. Some of these designers have already filed suits against the stores that they claim have copied specific designs. The opposition includes
manufacturers, retailers, and designers who feel that immitation helps the fashion industry. For one thing, they argue, there is a fine line between getting inspiration from or paying homage to a designer, and outright copying their work. In fact it is sometimes very difficult to tell the difference, and some argue that every designer would be guilty of it at some point. In fact a few very well known designers have been sued by other designers for just such a practice, and critics have cited pieces where the designers advocating the bill are arguably guilty as well. It is also argued that the stores who sell these lower priced clothes, are doing the industry a favor by making these designs affordable and more wearable for the public, since most American consumers would not be able to afford the full priced designer option in the first place.
HR 2033 by Kaileigh McCrea, Mar 10, 2008 (12:25pm)
This bill has been very controversial, not just within the fashion
industry, but among consumers as well. Supporters of the bill include several well known fashion designers who resent having their runway designs copied, sometimes only slightly changed, and within hours being marketed in stores for a much lower price and quality. Sometimes designs are leaked prematurely and clothing appears in the store before it even appears on the runway. Designers claim that this is piracy, and they should have protection from a practice that is hurting their businesses. Some of these designers have already filed suits against the stores that
they claim have copied specific designs. The opposition includes
manufacturers, retailers, and designers who feel that immitation helps the fashion industry. For one thing, they argue, there is a fine line between getting inspiration from or paying homage to a designer, and outright copying their work. In fact it is sometimes very difficult to tell the difference, and some argue that every designer would be guilty of it at some point. In fact a few very well known designers have been sued by other designers for just such a practice, and critics have cited pieces where the designers advocating the bill are arguably guilty as well. It is also argued that the stores who sell these lower priced clothes, are doing the industry a favor by making these designs affordable and more wearable for the public, since most American consumers would not be able to afford the full priced designer option in the first place.
HR 5720 by Kaileigh McCrea, Apr 29, 2008 (4:47am)
There are many supporters of this bill, including credit organizations, home builders, and local government associations, who hope that it will be an effective stimulus for the housing market and make it easier for first-time home buyers to afford a house. This bill is much less controversial then the Senate housing bill, an even includes a measure that the Bush administration is fond of, in which stockbrokers are required to report sales of stock to the IRS which should bring in about $8 million.