Statement by Press Secretary Dana Perino

H.J.Res. 62, the "Native American Heritage Day Act of 2008," which designates Friday, November 28, 2008, as Native American Heritage Day to honor the achievements and contributions of Native Americans to the United States;

H.R. 1157, the "Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2008," which requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a committee to coordinate Federal research related to breast cancer;

H.R. 1343, the "Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008," which reauthorizes the Department of Health and Human Services Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, Rural Health Care, State Loan Repayment, and Primary Dental Workforce programs for fiscal years 2009 through 2012;

H.R. 3068, the "Federal Protective Service Guard Contracting Reform Act of 2008," which requires the Department of Homeland Security to issue regulations establishing guidelines for the prohibition of contract awards for certain guard services to businesses that are owned, controlled, or operated by an individual who has been convicted of a felony;

H.R. 3229, the "National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act," which requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in 2012 in commemoration of the United States Army Infantry and the establishment of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center;

H.R. 4120, which expands Federal jurisdiction of crimes related to child sexual exploitation to include conduct using any means or facility of interstate of foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce; makes it a crime to "knowingly access with intent to view" materials which contain depictions of child pornography; and adds crimes involving child pornography to the list of predicate crimes for money laundering prosecutions;

H.R. 5001, the "Old Post Office Building Redevelopment Act of 2008," which directs the General Services Administration to proceed with redevelopment of the Old Post Office Building in the District of Columbia;

H.R. 5057, the "Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008," which authorizes appropriations for each of Fiscal Years 2009-2014 in the amount of $151 million for the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program; $30 million for the Sexual Assault Forensic Exam Grant Program; and $12.5 million for DNA training and education programs;

H.R. 5265, the "Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2008," which renames certain Department of Health and Human Service muscular dystrophy (MD) research facilities as Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers and makes certain changes relating to research and coordination of activities regarding MD;

H.R. 5571, which extends through March 6, 2009, the Department of Homeland Security's authority to waive the foreign residence requirement under the visa program for certain foreign doctors who agree to practice medicine for at least 3 years in health care facilities in areas designated as having a shortage of health care professionals;

H.R. 5872, the "Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act," which requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in 2010 in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America;

H.R. 6370, the "Oregon Surplus Federal Land Act of 2008," which requires the Coast Guard to transfer the Cape Arago Light Station and 24 surrounding acres of land located in Coos County, Oregon, to the Department of the Interior to be held in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians;

H.R. 6460, the "Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act of 2008," which reauthorizes appropriations through FY 2010 for projects to remediate contaminated sediment in the Great Lakes;

H.R. 6890, which extends through September 30, 2009, authority for the Secretary of Education to waive certain Federal financial requirements for school districts affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and provides financial relief for areas affected by storms in the Midwest or hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in 2008;

H.R. 6894, the "Defense Production Act Extension and Reauthorization of 2008," which extends until September 30, 2009, authorities under the Defense Production Act that address urgent industrial base shortfalls for technologies and materials that impact national defense requirements;

H.R. 6946, which makes a technical amendment to the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008;

S. 496, "Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2008," which authorizes appropriations for the Appalachian Regional Commission through FY 2012; authorizes an economic and energy development initiative for the region; and extends the date on which the authorities of the Commission would cease to be in effect to October 1, 2012;

S. 1046, the "Senior Professional Performance Act of 2008," which provides senior-level and scientific and professional Federal employees the same opportunity for higher pay that is available to members of the Senior Executive Service and makes certain changes to the performance appraisal certification system;

S. 1382, the "ALS Registry Act," which authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to create a data collection system and population registry for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and related neuron disorders;

S. 1810, the "Prenatally and Postnatally Disgnosed Conditions Awareness Act," which authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program to collect and disseminate information regarding Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed diseases and to coordinate the provision of support services for those who receive a diagnosis of one of those diseases;

S. 2482, which repeals a requirement to obtain a judicial license prior to conducting salvage operations off the coast of Florida;

S. 2606, which authorizes appropriations to the United States Fire Administration (USFA) for FYs 2009-2012 and authorizes various changes to USFA's training programs and activities;

S. 2932, the "Poison Center Support, Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008," which extends the authorization of appropriations for the Poison Control Center grant program, national toll-free number, and national media campaign programs related to poison control;

S. 2982, the "Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008," which reauthorizes Federal funding for grant program that provide services to runaway and homeless youth and their families; and modifies program requirements relating to eligibility, performance standards, and other matters;

S. 3560, the "QI Program Supplemental Funding Act," which makes changes to certain Medicaid and Medicare programs, including new program integrity provisions; and provides market exclusivity for certain antibiotics; and

S. 3597, which provides that funds allocated for the Community Food Projects program in FY 2008 will remain available in FY 2009.

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