WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill., has introduced legislation (H.R. 5412) to amend the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to "increase maximum loan amounts under the program in title V of that act, to provide temporary authority for debt refinancing of commercial real estate." The bill was introduced on May 26 and has 16 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors are Reps. Kathleen A. Dahlkemper, D-Pa., Gary C. Peters, D-Mich., Scott Murphy, D-N.Y., Mike Quigley, D-Ill., Bobby Bright, D-Ala.,  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Mass., has introduced legislation (H.R. 5384) to "require air carriers to refund passenger baggage fees if such baggage is lost, delayed, or damaged, and require air carriers and ticket agents to include the actual cost of checked baggage when quoting an airfare." The bill was introduced on May 25 and has 25 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors are Reps. Joe Baca, D-Calif., Laura Richardson, D-Calif., Michael F. Doyle, D-Pa., Gwen Moore, D-Wis., C.A. "Dutch"  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Christopher Carney, D-Pa., has introduced legislation (H.R. 5385) to "direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a toll-free hotline to assist mental health professionals at institutions of higher learning, to provide training to mental health professionals at institutions of higher learning." The bill was introduced on May 25 and is co-sponsored by Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, R-Ill. The legislation was referred to the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Larry Kissell, D-N.C., has introduced legislation (H.R. 5393) to "provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection with authority to more aggressively enforce trade laws relating to textile or apparel articles." The bill was introduced on May 25 and has 23 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors are Reps. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., John M. Spratt Jr., D-S.C., Howard Coble, R-N.C., Rick Boucher, D-Va., Phil Hare, D-Ill., Mark H. Schauer, D-Mich., Christopher P. Carney, D-Pa., John J. Dunc  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., has introduced legislation (S. 3429) to "require the Comptroller General of the U.S. to carry out a study on procurement under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009." The bill was introduced on May 26. The legislation was referred to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has introduced legislation (S. 3418) to amend the Public Health Service Act to "specifically include, in programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, programs to research, prevent, and address the harmful consequences of pathological and other problem gambling." The bill was introduced on May 25 and has three co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Robert Casey, D-Pa., and Mike Johanns, R-Neb  more