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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 22, 2005

Statement on House and Senate Resolutions

On Thursday, December 22, 2005, the President signed into law:

H.J.Res. 38, which honors Commodore John Barry as the first flag officer of the U.S. Navy;

H.R. 327, which authorizes the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona to enter into contracts that provide for binding arbitration of disputes;

H.R. 358, the "Little Rock Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act," which requires the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas;

H.R. 797, the "Native American Housing Enhancement Act of 2005," which makes various changes to Federal Indian housing laws;

H.R. 3963, which reauthorizes appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency's Long Island Sound National Estuary Program through fiscal year 2010;

H.R. 4195, the "Southern Oregon Bureau of Reclamation Repayment Act of 2005," which authorizes landowners in two irrigation districts in Oregon to make early repayments of construction costs to the Federal government;

H.R. 4324, the "Predisaster Mitigation Program Reauthorization Act of 2005," which reauthorizes the Predisaster Mitigation Program until September 30, 2008;

H.R. 4436, which provides a number of authorities for the Department of State, including increased levels of hardship and danger pay for employees;

H.R. 4508, the "Coast Guard Hurricane Relief Act of 2005," which commends the response of Coast Guard personnel to Hurricane Katrina; and authorizes the provision of relief from certain Coast Guard-administered statutes to persons affected by the Hurricane;

S. 335, which retroactively reauthorizes the Congressional Award Program until October 1, 2009.

S. 467, the "Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension Act of 2005," which extends the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program for two years, through December 31, 2007; and

S. 1047, the "Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005," which requires the Treasury to mint and issue several new coins, including a $1 coin commemorating the Nation's past Presidents; and requires all Federal agencies to ensure that their operations involving coins or currency are capable of accepting and dispensing $1 coins.

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