Cancer | Children and Social Services | Defense | Economy | Education | Energy | Environment | Gun Violence and Public Safety | Health | Historic Preservation | Immigration | Judiciary | Privacy/Identity Theft | Terrorism and Homeland Security | Water

Terrorism and Homeland Security:

Interoperable Communications - As part of an $80 billion supplemental war and homeland security package, Congress approved a measure sponsored by Senator Feinstein to provide $109 million to help police and firefighters obtain communications systems that function between agencies during times of crisis. (2003 Supplemental Appropriations Conference Committee Report, signed into law in April 2003).

Intelligence Community Leadership Act- Creates the position of a Director of National Intelligence, whose full-time job it would be to oversee the nation's intelligence community, set priorities and give direction to the 14 intelligence agencies in our government. (S.190, introduced January 16, 2003).

Seaport Security - Enhances the security of our nation's seaports by creating a container profiling plan that would focus inspections on high risk cargo and requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop a plan to inspect containers overseas before they arrive in the United States. (S.746, introduced with Senator Jon Kyl on March 31, 2003).

Air Cargo Security- In response to the vulnerability in our nation's air cargo system as documented by a General Accounting Office Report requested by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Senator Feinstein, provides for the Transportation Security Administration to strengthen air cargo security. (S.165, introduced by Senator Hutchison and cosponsored by Senator Feinstein on January 24, 2003. Approved by the Senate on May 8, 2003).

National Guard- Provides for enhanced homeland security by permitting each governor to create a homeland security activities plan involving the National Guard for his or her state and authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide oversight and funding for such plans. (S.215, introduced with Senators Christopher Bond (R-MO) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) on January, 24, 2003).

Defense:

Overseas Military Facility Structure Review Act - Establishes a Congressional panel to conduct a detailed study of United States military facilities overseas to assess the adequacy of the U.S. military footprint, consider the feasibility and advisability of closing any current U.S. installations overseas, and provide recommendations for a comprehensive overseas basing strategy that meets the current and projected strategic needs of the United States. (S.949, introduced with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) on April 29, 2003).

Gun Violence and Public Safety:

Assault Weapons Ban - Reauthorizes and strengthens the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, which prohibited the manufacture and sale of 19 types of military-style assault weapons. (S.1034, introduced with Senators Charles Schumer, (D-NY), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), James Jeffords (I-VT), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and Jack Reid (D-RI).

Military Sniper Weapon Regulation Act - Curbs the sales of the powerful .50-caliber military sniper rifles in order to make it more difficult for terrorists, doomsday cults and criminals from obtaining these deadly weapons. (S.429, introduced on February 24, 2003).

Victims Rights Constitutional Amendment - Establishes Constitutional rights of victims of violent crimes, including the right to be notified of the proceedings; not to be excluded from the trial and other proceedings; to be heard at certain crucial stages in the process; to be notified of the offender's release or escape; to be free from unreasonable delay; to be able to receive an order of restitution from the convicted offender; to have the victim's safety considered in determining a release of the convict from custody; and to be notified of these rights. ( S.J.Res.1, introduced with Senator Jon Kyl(R-AZ) on January 7, 2003. Endorsed by 41 State Attorneys General on April 8, 2003).

National AMBER Alert Network Act - Expands the nationwide AMBER Alert communications network that helps law enforcement find abducted children. (S.121, introduced with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison on January 14, 2003 and and signed into law by President Bush on April 30, 2003 as part of S.151, the Child Abduction Protection Act).

Criminal Street Gang Abatement - Combats gang violence by increasing the penalties for the most serious gang crimes and by making it a federal crime to recruit persons to join a criminal street gang and to use a minor to commit a violent federal crime. (To be introduced Spring 2003).

Privacy/Identity Theft:

Privacy Act - Combats the growing scourge of identity theft and other privacy abuses by setting a national standard for protection of personal information, including Social Security numbers, driver's licenses and health and financial data. (S.745, introduced on March 31, 2003)

Social Security Number Misuse Prevention Act - Restricts the sale of display of Social Security numbers to the general public without an individual's consent and requires government agencies to take steps to protect Social Security numbers before disseminating them. (S.228, introduced with Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) on January 27, 2003).

Identity Theft Prevention Act - Combats identity theft by requiring banks, credit bureaus and other financial institutions to take a series of practical steps to cut-off criminal access to sensitive consumer data, including a ban on all new credit-card marchings from printing the complete credit card number on a receipt and requiring that all existing machines must be retrofitted within four years of enactment. (S.223, introduced with Senators Judd Gregg, (R-NH), Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ). on Jan. 27).

Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act - Increases the penalties on identity theft crimes when convicted of a serious felony and makes it easier for prosecutors to convict identity thieves. (S.153, introduced with Senators Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Charles Grassley (R-IA), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Larry Craig (R-ID) on January 14, 2003. Approved by the Senate on March 20, 2003)).

Total Information Awareness Amendment - Limits the scope of the Defense Department's Total Information Awareness (TIA) project and prevents it from being used to invade Americans' privacy and civil liberties. (Amendment with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) was approved by a Senate voice vote and incorporated in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill on January 23, 2002 and then incorporated in the Senate-House Conference Report).

Judiciary:

Class Action Litigation Reform - Won passage of compromise amendments to a pending class action lawsuit reform bill. One amendment offered with Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) preserves the right of individuals, government officials and concerned groups to sue companies on behalf of the general public to force the return of illegally gained profits and to recover other damages. The other made significant changes to the jurisdictional structure of the bill, which will result in more cases remaining in state court, and more certainty in the process. This amendment was cosponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). (Amendments approved in Committee along with underlying bill (S.274) on April 11, 2003)

Economy:

Fiscal Responsibility Act - To help cope with rising deficits, freezes the top income rate at its current level until there is a return to budget surpluses. Under current law, the top income tax rate is scheduled to drop from 38.6 percent to 37.6 percent in 2004 and then to 35 percent in 2006, before the entire 2001 tax cut expires in 2011. (S.126, introduced with Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI)on January 9, 2003).

Social Security Fairness Act - To provide incentives for private sector employees to become teachers, firefighters, police officers, or other government employees, this measure would repeal provisions of current law that reduce Social Security benefits for retirees who paid into Social Security and also receive a government pension. (S.349, introduced with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) on February 11, 2003)

Energy:

Improving the Fuel Efficiency of SUVs and Light Trucks - To combat global warming and increase energy self-sufficiency, phases in an increase in CAFE standards for light duty trucks and SUVs so that by 2011 they would meet the same CAFE standards as cars do today. The bill also mandates that the federal fleet meet higher fuel economy standards. (S.255, introduced with Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) on January 30, 2003).

Energy Market Oversight Act - Establishes strong federal oversight of our energy markets by restoring the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's authority to regulate energy trades; increasing penalties for trading violations to curb illegal behavior; and improving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's ability to be an effective and aggressive regulator. (S.509, introduced on March 4, 2003 with Senators Peter Fitzgeral (R-IL), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

Southern California Border Air Quality Protection Act - Prevents power plants along the California-Mexico border from using natural gas from the United States unless these plants agree to comply with California emissions standards. (S.107, introduced with Senator Barbara Boxer on January 9, 2003. The legislation was placed on hold after InterGen announced plans on January 28 to install pollution control technology on all four units of its new power plant in Mexicali, Mexico which will provide a tremendous environmental benefit to residents on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border).

Water:

CALFED - Authorizes funds for the most comprehensive water management program in the nation in an effort to address the water needs of California's growing population and the restoration and rehabilitation of the environmentally threatened San Francisco Bay Delta. (Introduced with Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) on May 21, 2003).

Perchlorate contamination - Seeking to assure that drinking water supplies are free of contamination, Senator Feinstein has convened a meeting of impacted communities, water agencies and state and federal regulators, has urged the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense to step up their efforts to cleanup perchlorate contamination sites and provide assistance to communities whose local water supplies have been impacted.

Reducing MTBE in Gasoline and Protecting the Groundwater - Helps protect the groundwater from MTBE contamination by authorizing the Governor of any state to waive the two percent requirement for oxygenates in reformulated gasoline. (MTBE related amendments to be introduced during the debate on the Energy Bill this Spring).

Environment:

San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds - Negotiated purchase of 16,500 acres of salt ponds from Cargill along the San Francisco Bay and Napa River - the largest such wetlands restoration project in California history. As part of the unprecedented public-private partnership, Senator Feinstein asked for and received $35 million from the Hewlett, Moore and Packard Foundations and the Goldman Fund. (Sale completed on March 13, 2003).

California Desert Inholdings - Spearheaded efforts by the Wildlands Conservancy to purchase more than 467,000 acres of the Mojave Desert from Catellus Development Corp. for preservation and public recreational use. This culminates a long process to preserve and protect one of North America's great natural treasures - the 7.7 million acres of California desert. (The latest 62,000 acres were purchased from Catellus by the Wildlands Conservancy in February 2003).

Golden Gate National Recreation Area - Adds 4,700 acres to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Mateo County, including a 4,262 acre parcel known as the Rancho Corral de Tierra (S.302, introduced with Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) on February 5, 2002. Approved by the Senate on April 4, 2003).

Rim of the Valley - Directs Interior Department to determine the feasibility of doubling the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by adding the mountains above the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa Clarita, Simi and Conejo valleys, as well as the Arroyo Seco. (S.347, introduced February 11, 2003 in conjunction with Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, who introduced a similar bill in the House. Approved by the Senate on April 8, 2003).

Health:

Nuclear Transplantation - Makes the cloning of a human being a crime, while allowing promising medical research known as somatic cell nuclear transplantation to proceed, offering hope to millions of Americans suffering from paralysis and other debilitating diseases such as juvenile diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. (S.303, introduced with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), and Tom Harkin (D-IA) on February 5, 2002).

Cancer:

Placing a top priority on treating patients with cancer, enhancing research the disease through additional funding and helping to ease the pain and suffering of people who have cancer and their families, including:

Senate Cancer Coalition - Co-chair of Senate Cancer Coalition with Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), which is dedicated to enhancing cancer research and care, identifying research gaps and developing strategies in the search to find a cure and develop better treatment.

National Dialogue on Cancer - Vice-chair with Co-chairs former President George H. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush of historic initiative that brings together for the first time more than 130 leaders representing public, private and nonprofit sectors to collaborate in the their efforts to fight cancer.

National Cancer Act - Establishes a new battle plan to fight cancer and help find a cure. This legislation will: improve basic cancer research; create incentives for the transformation of that research into new, effective treatments; and prevent cancer when possible and improve the quality of care to patients. (S. 1101, Introduced with Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) and 23 other Senators on May 21, 2003)

Immigration:

State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) - Authorizes increased federal funding to reimburse states and local governments for the costs of incarcerating illegal criminal aliens. States had received between $500 million and $585 million annually in previous years, but in fiscal year 2003, the Bush Administration did not request any funding and Congress only provided $250 million dollars in the Omnibus Appropriations bill. This meant a loss of $100 million for California.(S.460, introduced February 26, 2003 with Senator John McCain(R-AZ), Jon Kyl(R-AZ), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).

Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act - Strengthens immigration policies and treatment standards for unaccompanied children, and provides them with the right to counsel and guardian ad litem. (To be introduced this Spring).

Education:

Teaching Incentives - Gives teachers a financial incentive to become fully credentialed before the 2005-2006 academic year by doubling the amount of student loan that will be forgiven from $5,000 to $10,000 for teaching in a school that serves low-income students. (S.227, introduced with Senator Harry Reid (D-NV on January 29, 2003).

Children and Social Services:

Head Start Loan Forgiveness Act - Extends federal student loan forgiveness program to include Head Start teachers. In exchange for 5 years of teaching, a Head Start teacher could receive up to $5,000 in student loans forgiven. (S.140, introduced with Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) on January 10, 2003).

Historic Preservation:

San Francisco Mint - Authorizes the United States Mint to issue a commemorative coin that will honor the San Francisco Old Mint and generate funds to restore this historic building in downtown San Francisco. (S.168, introduced with Senator Barbara Boxer on January 15, 2003).