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![Official portrait of Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_wa_9_smith_adam_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
5,284 records where Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Safeguard American Food Exports Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem equine (horses and other members of the equidae family) parts to be an unsafe food additive or animal drug. The bill prohibits the knowing sale or transport of equines or equine parts for human consumption.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2017 This bill establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund from which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to make one payment of $25,000 to each individual who, between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, was a documented member of the U.S. merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was operated in U.S. waters by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation and under contract to, or the property of, the United States. Such individuals must: (1) apply for such benefit within one year after the enactment of this Act, and (2) not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. The VA shall include, in annual budget documents submitted to Congress, detailed information on the Fund's operation.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal, beginning with taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans).
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Encourage New Legalized Immigrants to Start Training Act or the ENLIST Act This bill authorizes the enlistment in the Armed Forces of aliens unlawfully present in the United States on December 31, 2012, who: (1) have been continuously present in the United States since such date; (2) were younger than 15 years of age when they initially entered the United States; and (3) are otherwise eligible for original enlistment in a regular component of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. The Department of Homeland Security shall adjust the status of an alien enlisted under such authority to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act applicable to aliens who entered the United States prior to January 1, 1972. The bill rescinds such lawful permanent resident status if the alien is separated from the Armed Forces under other than honorable conditions before serving the term of enlistment.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Urges the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its six-day mail delivery service.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2016
No Religious Registry Act This bill prohibits U.S. government officials from collecting information or utilizing a registry or database to classify on the basis of religious affiliation: (1) U.S. nationals or aliens lawfully present in the United States, or (2) aliens who apply for a visa or seek admission to the United States or on whose behalf a petition under the immigration laws is submitted. The bill also prohibits studies related to the collection of such information or the establishment or utilization of such a registry or database. Nothing in this bill may be construed to prohibit the collection of information that is provided voluntarily, including information relating to the decennial census.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Presidential Accountability Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for the President or Vice President to personally and substantially participate in official matters that affect their financial interests, unless the financial interests are held in a blind trust or the President or Vice President discloses the financial interests and receives an exemption. It imposes criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both—on a President or Vice President who commits the offense. It also authorizes civil penalties and injunctions. Additionally, a violation constitutes a high crime and misdemeanor (i.e., grounds for impeachment) under Article II, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution. Finally, the bill prohibits the President or Vice President from entering into contracts with the U.S. government.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Constitutional Amendment Every Vote Counts Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the President and the Vice President to be elected by people of the several states and the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Honors the life of Shimon Peres and his dedication to serving his country and preserving Israel's security, prosperity, and peace.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Eliminate Price Increases Act of 2016 or the EPI Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the manufacturer of a brand name drug from authorizing or commencing the manufacturing, marketing, selling, or distributing of a generic version of the drug from the time the manufacturer is notified by a generic manufacturer that a generic drug application has been submitted until the expiration or forfeiture of the 180-day exclusivity period granted to the generic manufacturer.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
Freight Infrastructure Reinvestment Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 1% tax on certain ground transportation of property within the United States. In addition, the bill establishes: (1) a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund, consisting of amounts equivalent to taxes received under the bill; and (2) a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Improvement Program, through which the Department of Transportation is authorized to make competitive grants for eligible costs associated with projects to improve freight mobility.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2016 or the POWER Act This bill requires the U.S. Attorney for a judicial district to lead at least one public event that promotes pro bono legal services as a critical way to: (1) empower survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and (2) engage citizens in assisting those survivors. A special but similar rule applies to districts containing Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Each U.S. Attorney shall: (1) have discretion on the design, organization, and implementation of such public events; and (2) seek to maximize an event's local impact and the access of such survivors to high-quality pro bono legal services.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Recognizes and encourages the observance of Small Business Saturday. Supports efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Esteems the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Commends the leadership, staff, scholars, designers, construction workers, volunteers, charter members, and donors who worked tirelessly to realize the venerable dream of opening the National Museum of African American History and Culture of the Smithsonian Institution. Encourages all citizens and residents of, and visitors to, the United States to visit the museum when touring the nation's capital.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Immigration Courts Bail Reform Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the minimum bond amount needed to release a detained alien. An immigration judge may review an initial custody determination for an adult alien, subject to specified rules, which include the following: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall, within 72 hours, file the notice to appear or charging document with the appropriate immigration court and serve such notice on the detained alien; except for criminals or suspected terrorists, DHS may continue to detain an alien only if no conditions will reasonably assure the alien's appearance and the safety of any other person and the community; the Department of Justice shall ensure that an alien has the opportunity to promptly appear before an immigration judge for a custody redetermination hearing; except for criminals or suspected terrorists, an immigration judge shall review the custody determination de novo and may continue to detain the alien only if DHS demonstrates that no conditions will reasonably assure the alien's appearance and the community's safety; DHS and an immigration judge shall order an alien's release on personal recognizance or upon an unsecured appearance bond unless such release will not reasonably assure the alien's appearance or the community's safety; if DHS or an immigration judge determines that such release will not reasonably assure the alien's appearance or such safety, DHS or the immigration judge shall order the alien's release under the least restrictive conditions that will assure the alien's appearance and the community's safety; DHS or an immigration judge shall consider the alien's financial ability in determining whether to impose a bond as a condition of release; and DHS or an immigration judge may not impose a financial condition that results in an alien's detention.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) designate voting systems used in the United States as critical infrastructure; (2) include threats of compromise, disruption, or destruction of voting systems in national planning scenarios; and (3) conduct a campaign to proactively educate local election officials about the designation of voting systems as critical infrastructure and election officials at all levels of government of voting system threats. In furtherance of local election official preparedness and response, DHS shall conduct research and development to mitigate the consequences of voting systems threats. DHS shall prepare and submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to protect and prepare the critical infrastructure of the voting systems used in the United States against threats, including from acts of terrorism. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shall develop standards for ensuring the operational security of the voting systems used in elections for federal office. This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a state, in operating the voting system, to comply with applicable standards for ensuring the operational security of voting systems. The testing and certification of voting systems hardware and software shall test whether voting systems are in compliance with applicable standards developed by NIST for ensuring the operational security of voting systems. NIST shall develop standards for ensuring that the process by which ballots are counted in elections for federal office is transparent and permits voters to verify that votes in such elections are counted correctly. States shall comply with applicable standards, in operating the voting system, for ensuring that the process by which ballots are counted in elections for federal office is transparent and permits voters to verify that votes in such elections are counted correctly. The National Science Foundation shall establish an election technology innovation research and development program.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Election Integrity Act of 2016 This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to: (1) prohibit states or jurisdictions from purchasing or otherwise acquiring for use in an election for federal office a direct recording electronic voting system or other electronic voting system that does not produce a voter-verified paper record; (2) prohibit imposition of conditions on voting by mail; (3) make mandatory the availability of early voting; and (4) require sufficient polling places, equipment, and resources to facilitate voting. The Director of the National Science Foundation shall make grants to eligible entities to study, test, and develop accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Each state shall, except when the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the votes, administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice to the precincts selected, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. This bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it unlawful for a chief state election administration official, unless he or she or a family member is a candidate, to take an active part in political management or in a political campaign for federal office over which such official has supervisory authority. Mandatory response by the Attorney General is required to allegations of voter intimidation or suppression by law enforcement officers and other government officials. The Election Assistance Commission shall study and, on the basis of the findings of the study, issue standards for states to follow in establishing an appropriate number and geographic distribution of voting sites in elections for federal office.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Congratulates the people of Ukraine on the 25th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. Commends the democratic reforms that have been accomplished. Reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act This bill increases the monthly pay rate for Peace Corps volunteers. The Peace Corps shall provide initial medical care to a former volunteer for a service-related condition for 180 days after termination of service, which may be extended under specified circumstances. The bill grants the government jurisdiction over, and imposes penalties upon, persons who commit certain crimes outside of the United States against a volunteer. The bill sets forth provisions regarding the use of mefloquine and other anti-malaria drugs, including appropriate medical officer training. The Peace Corps Act is amended to authorize the designation of a position as a critical management support position if the position requires specialized technical or professional skills and knowledge of Peace Corps operations. An appointment may not exceed five years. The President shall ensure that each overseas post has appropriate medical services, including by detailing to such a post the licensed medical staff of other U.S. agencies. Each volunteer applicant shall be provided with information regarding crime and health risks and volunteer satisfaction with respect to the country in which the applicant has been invited to serve. The Office of Victim Advocacy in Peace Corps headquarters is made permanent. The bill: (1) expands membership of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council from 8 to up to 14 members, (2) requires at least one council member to have mental health field expertise, (3) extends the council through October 1, 2023, and (4) requires the council to establish an email address to permit volunteers and former volunteers to communicate directly and confidentially with the council. The President shall conduct annual volunteer surveys through September 30, 2023 (currently through September 30, 2018). The Inspector General of the Peace Corps may hire an expert, consultant, or organization without regard to certain daily salary requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2016
Condemns: (1) the killing of peaceful protesters and excessive use of force by Ethiopian security forces; (2) the detention of journalists, students, activists and political leaders who exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression through peaceful protests; and (3) the abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation to stifle political and civil dissent and journalistic freedoms. Urges protesters in Ethiopia to refrain from violence. Calls on the government of Ethiopia to: end the use of excessive force by security forces; investigate the killings and excessive use of force that took place as a result of protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions; release dissidents, activists, and journalists who have been imprisoned for exercising constitutional rights; respect the right to peaceful assembly and guarantee freedom of the press; engage in open consultations with citizens regarding its development strategy; allow a United Nations rapporteur to conduct an independent examination of the state of human rights in Ethiopia; and investigate and report on the circumstances surrounding the September 3, 2016, shootings and fire at Qilinto Prison. Calls on such government to repeal proclamations that: can be used to harass or prohibit funding for organizations that investigate human rights violations, engage in peaceful political dissent, or advocate for greater political freedoms; prohibit those displaced from their land from seeking judicial redress; permit the detention of peaceful protesters and political opponents who legally exercise their rights to freedom of expression and association; and limit peaceful nonprofit operations in Ethiopia. Calls on: (1) the Department of State to review security assistance, and improve oversight of U.S. assistance, to Ethiopia; and (2) the U.S. Agency for International Development to lead efforts to develop a strategy to support improved democracy and governance in Ethiopia. Supports the peaceful efforts of the Ethiopian people to exercise their constitutional rights.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act of 2016 This bill amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA) to modify and reauthorize juvenile justice programs and activities. Specifically, it: revises and reauthorizes through FY2022 programs and activities under title II of the JJDPA, including the State Formula Grant Program and the activities of the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); revises and expands the purpose areas of the JJDPA; expands membership on the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to include the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Secretary of the Interior; expands requirements for the OJJDP's annual report on juveniles in custody; modifies the required components of a state's juvenile justice and prevention plan; modifies the four core requirements with which a state must comply to receive a full allocation of funds under the State Formula Grant Program; and repeals the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Block Grant program. The bill revises, restructures, and reauthorizes through FY2022 programs under title V of the JJDPA, including the Incentive Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention Program. The Government Accountability Office must evaluate the OJJDP's performance and audit selected grant recipients. The bill subjects juvenile justice grants to accountability provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Strengthening Social Security Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to prescribe special rules for the determination of taxable wages and self-employment income above the contribution and benefit base after 2016. Title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) is amended to: (1) increase from 90% to 95% over five years the first bend point factor used in determining the primary OASDI insurance amount; and (2) include surplus average indexed monthly earnings in the determination of such amounts. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall prepare and publish the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-EC) that indicates changes over time in expenditures for consumption which are typical for individuals in the United States who have attained early retirement age for purposes of an old-age, wife's, or husband's insurance benefit. The bill amends the SSAct to make the CPI-EC the applicable Consumer Price Index for computation of cost-of-living increases in OASDI benefits for such individuals. The bill revises OASDI benefits for a widow or widower to provide benefits at a level equal to at least 75% of the amount received prior to the death of a spouse. The bill prevents any decrease in the benefit level of supplemental security income recipients resulting from any increase in other social security benefits in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2016
Supports the designation of National Estuaries Week. Acknowledges the importance of estuaries to sustaining employment in the United States and the nation's economic well-being and prosperity. Expresses the intent of the House of Representatives to continue working to understand, protect, and restore U.S. estuaries.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Refugee Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the one-year time limit for filing an asylum claim. The bill revises the definition of "refugee" and the criteria for granting asylum. The bill makes certain currently required detention provisions regarding arriving aliens who request asylum discretionary. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall: (1) establish a secure alternatives to detention program, and (2) establish specified conditions of detention. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom may conduct a study to determine whether certain immigration officers are properly handling asylum and removal/detention authority. The bill: (1) authorizes waiver of the continuous one-year presence requirement for permanent resident status adjustment for a qualifying refugee/asylee who worked for the U.S. government overseas; (2) exempts aliens under the age of 18 from certain restrictions on applying for asylum; and (3) sets forth protections for minors, refugees, aliens interdicted at sea, and stateless persons. The President is authorized to designate refugee groups. The bill authorizes refugee applicants to simultaneously pursue other forms of admission. The spouse or child of a refugee or asylee may bring his or her accompanying or following child into the United States as a refugee or asylee. If the President does not issue a refugee allocation determination before the beginning of a fiscal year, the number of refugees that may be admitted in each quarter shall be 25% of the number of refugees admissible during the previous fiscal year. The bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, with respect to naturalization of an Afghan or Iraqi translator who is a lawful permanent resident, to count a period of absence from the United States working as a translator for the United States or a U.S. contractor in Afghanistan or Iraq towards the accumulation of the required physical presence in the United States. The bill revises: (1) the definition of "terrorist activity" for purposes of alien inadmissibility, including for aliens who were under 18 years of age when they committed certain actions under duress; and (2) the refugee grant and contract assistance allocation formula. The Government Accountability Office shall conduct a study of the Office of Refugee Resettlement's domestic refugee resettlement programs. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is amended to extend the eligibility for supplemental security income assistance to certain aliens (including asylees and refugees) and trafficking victims. DHS shall grant employment authorization to qualifying T visa aliens (victims of trafficking in persons) and U visa aliens (children who have been granted special immigrant status as victims of criminal activity). The number of U visas is increased.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2016 This bill declares that it is U.S. policy that all diplomatic and coercive economic means should be used to compel the government of Bashir al-Assad to halt the slaughter of the Syrian people and actively work toward transition to a democratic government. This bill directs the President to impose specified entry and U.S.-based property sanctions against a foreign person that knowingly provides significant financial, material, or technological support: (1) to the government of Syria and the Central Bank of Syria, including Syria's intelligence and security services or its armed forces, including through money laundering or with respect to Syria's gas or petroleum production or civilian aircraft services; and (2) that materially contributes to Syria's ability to acquire or develop ballistic missiles, chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, or destabilizing numbers and types of advanced conventional weapons. The Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012 is amended to direct the President to impose entry and U.S.-based property sanctions against persons responsible for or complicit in: (1) directing the commission of serious human rights abuses against citizens of Syria or their family members, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Syria; or (2) transferring to Syria certain military items or goods or technologies that may be used to commit human rights abuses. The Department of State and the Agency for International Development shall report on the monitoring and evaluation of ongoing assistance programs in Syria and to the Syrian people. The bill requires the President to: (1) submit an updated list of Syrian officials who are responsible for or complicit in the commission of serious human rights abuses against Syrian citizens, and (2) assess the potential effectiveness of a no-fly zone over Syria. The State Department shall provide assistance to entities taking criminal and evidence gathering actions for prosection of individuals who have committed crimes against humanity or war crimes in Syria since March 2011. The President may suspend sanctions against Syria under specified conditions. The bill: (1) expresses the sense of Congress with respect to a transitional government in Syria, and (2) sets forth activities and transactions that are exempt from sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2016
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that governments should: assure that travelers are informed about the mosquito transmission of the Zika virus, assure that athletes traveling to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil are informed about the presence of the Zika virus and that Brazil has taken appropriate protective measures, urge travelers to take steps to reduce the chances of contracting the illness, and urge travelers returning from an area where mosquito transmission is actively occurring to take precautions to protect others from Zika virus exposure and to seek medical advice should disease symptoms occur.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Honors the life, work, and legacy of Elie Wiesel. Extends the deepest sympathies of the House of Representatives to the members of Wiesel's family. Reaffirms Wiesel's efforts to preserve the memory of those who perished and prevent the recurrence of another Holocaust, to combat hate and intolerance, and to never forget and also learn from the lessons of history.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
Expresses support for the designation of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
Requires both chambers of Congress to assemble annually in the Hall of the House of Representatives to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General on the Government Accountability Office's audited financial statement of the accounts and associated activities of the executive branch, together with an analysis of the financial position and condition of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2016
Military Infrastructure Consolidation and Efficiency Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to: (1) develop a force structure plan (plan) for the Armed Forces based on a DOD assessment of threats to U.S. national security for FY2018-FY2038; (2) conduct a comprehensive inventory of military installations world-wide for each military department; and (3) submit a certification of whether the need exists for DOD to consolidate, close, or realign military installations (installation actions). DOD may begin a round for the selection of installation actions only after Congress has had 90 days to consider such certification. The President may not begin such actions if Congress enacts a joint resolution of disapproval of the plan, inventory, or certification during such period. DOD must certify that a round of installation actions will result in annual net savings within five years. In developing its installation action recommendations, DOD shall consider an affected local government's approval of such an action. The bill prescribes final selection criteria for such recommendations, which shall include military value criteria. The bill establishes an independent Military Infrastructure Consolidation and Efficiency Commission of 2019 if: (1) DOD certifies that the need exists for a round for the selection of installation actions, and (2) Congress does not enact such a joint resolution of disapproval within the prescribed 90 days. The bill provides for: (1) commission review of, and authority to make changes to, DOD recommendations; and (2) presidential review of commission recommendations for the consolidation, closure, and realignment of military installations inside the United States. DOD may provide economic adjustment assistance to an affected community. DOD shall establish a new Field Activity to act as the executive agent for the management and disposal of excess real property resulting from installation actions. The General Services Administration shall delegate to DOD the authority to utilize excess property and dispose of surplus property located at a military installation closed or realigned under this Act. The bill sets forth: (1) provisions governing the transfer of property located at an affected installation, (2) the responsibilities of the redevelopment authorities for such installations, and (3) the duties of the Department of Housing and Urban Development s regarding how redevelopment plans address the needs of the homeless. The bill provides for establishment of the Military Infrastructure Consolidation and Efficiency 2019 account to be used for approved installation actions. This bill shall be the exclusive authority for selecting or carrying out installation actions inside the United States until April 15, 2020, excluding specified closures and realignments carried out for reasons of national security or a military emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2016
TSA Workforce Flexibility Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016 to repeal a provision that limits the number of full-time equivalent Transportation Security Administration screeners to 45,000.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
This bill amends the federal criminal code to require a licensed gun dealer to notify the national instant criminal background check system (i.e., the NICS database) of an explosive materials sale and the purchaser's identity. Additionally, it requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include in the NICS database information about an individual who is or has been under a federal terrorism investigation. A federal department or agency must submit to DOJ information about such individual. If a licensed gun dealer request a background check on a prospective gun buyer or provides notice of an explosive materials purchaser who is or has been under a federal terrorism investigation, then the NICS database must notify the appropriate division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2016
Voting Access Act This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require each state to comply with national standards established by the Election Assistance Commission for the location and operation of polling places used in elections for federal office. The Commission shall establish such standards and study instances of the misidentification by election officials of the political party registration of individuals attempting to vote in primary elections for federal office.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant automatic citizenship to all qualifying children adopted by a U.S. citizen parent, regardless of the date on which the adoption was finalized. An individual born outside of the United States who was adopted by a U.S. citizen parent shall automatically become a U.S. citizen when the following conditions have been fulfilled: the individual was adopted by a U.S. citizen before the individual reached age 18, the individual was physically present in the United States in the citizen parent's legal custody pursuant to a lawful admission before the individual reached age 18, the individual never acquired U.S. citizenship before the enactment of this Act, and the individual was lawfully residing in the United States on the date of enactment of this Act. An individual who meets such criteria, except for lawfully residing in the United States on the date of enactment of this Act, shall automatically become a U.S. citizen on the date on which the individual is physically present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission. A visa may not be issued to such an individual unless: the individual was subjected to a criminal background check; and the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State coordinated with law enforcement agencies to ensure that appropriate action is taken regarding any unresolved criminal activity.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Reform Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make certain amounts in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund available, without appropriation, for expenditures to pay: 100% of the eligible operations and maintenance costs of specified portions of the Saint Lawrence Seaway as well as those assigned to commercial navigation of all U.S. harbors and inland harbors; rebates of certain tolls or charges on the Seaway; and all expenses of administration relating to harbor maintenance tax incurred by the Department of the Treasury, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Commerce. The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 is amended to: require allocation to certain donor ports and energy transfer ports of at least 20% of amounts made available each fiscal year from the Trust Fund, and authorize the Department of the Army to make the allocations equally between these kinds of ports. A "donor port" is a port, subject to the harbor maintenance fee, located in a state in which more than 2 million cargo containers were unloaded from or loaded on to vessels in FY2012, whose total amount of collected harbor maintenance taxes comes to less than $15 million annually, and which received less than 25% of the total amount of harbor maintenance taxes collected at that port in the previous five fiscal years. An "energy transfer port" is one, also subject to the harbor maintenance fee, through which more than 40 million tons of cargo were transported in FY2012, and at which energy commodities constituted more than 25% of all commercial activity by tonnage in that fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Expresses support for recognizing National Orca Protection Month. Orcas are commonly known as killer whales.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2016
Terminates the Select Investigative Panel of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2016
Daniel J. Evans Olympic National Park Wilderness Act This bill amends the Washington Park Wilderness Act of 1988 to redesignate the Olympic Wilderness as the "Daniel J. Evans Wilderness."
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2016
LGBT Data Inclusion Act This bill requires federal agencies that collect information through a survey that includes demographic data (where subjects self-report information or a proxy provides information about the subject or responds for all persons in a household) to establish data standards that require: a determination of which existing data sets exclude information about sexual orientation and gender identity; an identification, and a use, of appropriate methods to include questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in surveys that facilitate categorization and voluntary participation and that preserve privacy and confidentiality; and a routine assessment of needed changes in survey methods related to asking such questions. Agencies that publish reports relying on survey demographic data must include information on sexual orientation and gender identity. Individuals shall not be: (1) required by this bill to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to an agency; or (2) subjected to fines or penalties for refusing to answer, or providing a false answer to, any survey question regarding gender identity or sexual orientation. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to permit the use of such collected information in a manner that would adversely affect an individual.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Air Traffic Controller Hiring Improvement Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing air traffic controllers, to give preferential consideration to qualified individuals maintaining 52 consecutive weeks of experience involving the active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic certification or facility rating within 5 years of application while serving at an FAA air traffic control facility, a civilian or military air traffic control facility of the Department of Defense, or a tower operating under contract with the FAA. The FAA shall consider additional applicants by referring an approximately equal number of employees for appointment among two applicant pools. The number referred from each group shall not differ by more than 10%. Pool one shall consist of applicants who: have successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program and have received an appropriate recommendation or endorsement from such institution, are eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment and provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days of the announcement closing, are veterans eligible for veterans' benefits who maintain aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience, or are preference eligible veterans. Pool two shall consist of applicants who apply under a vacancy announcement recruiting from all U.S. citizens. The FAA: (1) may not use a biographical assessment when hiring, (2) must provide an individual who applied in response to a specified 2014 vacancy announcement and was disqualified as the result of a biographical assessment an opportunity to reapply under the revised hiring practices, and (3) must waive any maximum age limit for such reapplying applicants who met such requirement when they applied under such announcement. Otherwise, the maximum age limit for an original appointment as an air traffic controller under this bill shall be 35 years of age. The FAA shall consider directly notifying secondary schools and institutes of higher learning of a vacancy announcement for pool one applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2016
DUI Reporting Act of 2016 This bill requires a state or local government that receives funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program to enact a law or policy to ensure that law enforcement agencies report arrests involving driving under the influence to the National Crime Information Center. The Department of Justice (DOJ) must reduce by up to 20% the JAG allocation of a state or local government that fails to comply.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2016
Transparency in Taxpayer-Funded Discrimination Act This bill amends the Department of Education Organization Act to require the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to publish, on its website, the names of institutions of higher education (IHEs) that request and IHEs that receive religious exemptions from title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. (Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.) Additionally, the bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require an IHE that requests or receives a religious exemption from title IX to publish, on its website, certain information with respect to such exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
Reaffirms: that Israel is a major U.S. strategic partner, that it is U.S. policy and law to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge and self-defense capacity, and support of an Israeli tiered missile defense program. Urges finalization of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel. Supports a long-term Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel that increases the amount of aid from previous agreements and enhances Israel's military capabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Children's Savings Accounts Offer Parents Plenty of Reasons to Understand and Invest in Tuition Yearly Act or the CSA OPPORTUNITY Act This bill amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to direct a state receiving a TANF grant to disregard the value of any interest in, or distribution from, a qualified tuition program, as well as the value of a child's savings account, in determining individual or family TANF eligibility or the amount or type of assistance. SSAct title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) is amended to exclude from an individual's resources for SSI eligibility or benefit purposes the value of any interest in, or distribution from, a qualified tuition program as well as the value of a child's savings account. The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 is amended to direct the Department of Agriculture to exclude any child's savings accounts from resources for eligibility and benefit purposes under the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP, formerly the food stamp program). The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 is amended to exclude from household income any child's savings accounts from resources for eligibility and benefit purposes under the low-income home energy assistance program. The bill prescribes penalties for noncompliance.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Reaffirms the U.S. commitment to promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Cambodia. Condemns political violence in Cambodia and urges cessation of human rights violations. Calls on the government of Cambodia to respect freedom of the press and the rights of its citizens to freely assemble and protest against the government. Supports electoral reform efforts in Cambodia and free and fair elections in 2018. Urges Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party to: (1) end harassment of Cambodia's opposition, (2) drop politically motivated charges against opposition lawmakers and allow them to return and freely participate in the political process, and (3) foster a democratic environment.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Opioid and Heroin Abuse Crisis Investment Act of 2016 This bill appropriates funding for the activities in the bill. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services to enter into cooperative agreements with states to expand opioid treatment capacity, make services more affordable to those who cannot afford them, and help individuals seek treatment, successfully complete treatment, and sustain recovery. (Opioids are drugs with effects similar to opium, such as heroin and certain pain medications.) Funding must be allocated to states based on the severity of the opioid epidemic in the state and the strength of the state's strategy to respond. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology must expand efforts to support prescription drug monitoring programs and health information technology interoperability. The Bureau of Prisons must support drug treatment programs. The bill amends the Second Chance Act to require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help justice-involved individuals successfully reintegrate into the community. The bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to permit DOJ to support the development of residential and aftercare services for substance-involved inmates. DOJ must establish new heroin enforcement groups within the Drug Enforcement Administration to target, disrupt, and dismantle heroin trafficking organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Freedom of Religion Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien may not be denied admission to the United States because of his or her religion or lack of religious beliefs.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Verifying Optimal Tools for Elections Act of 2016 or the VOTE Act of 2016 This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to direct the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to make a payment to each eligible state in which a precinct used at least one outdated voting machine to administer the regularly scheduled federal general election held in November 2012. A state shall use the funds from such a payment to replace outdated voting machines in qualifying precincts with voting machines that: (1) have never been used in any federal general election and are not outdated voting machines, or have been used only with respect to federal general elections held after November 2012; and (2) are auditable and meet specified requirements. A state receiving such a payment shall ensure that all the outdated voting machines in its qualifying precincts have been replaced in time for the regularly scheduled federal general election in November 2018. The EAC shall make grants to states for the education and training, through webinars or other appropriate means, of election officials and poll workers on matters including voting machine maintenance, pre- and post-election voting machine testing, and the development of contingency plans. The EAC shall also make grants to state or local governments to conduct pilot testing with respect to, and carry out the implementation of, voting systems that use: (1) non-proprietary open source software, and (2) commercial or custom firmware and hardware. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shall develop, or fund the development of, a common data format allowing for voting-equipment device interoperability. A voting system used in a federal election in a state may not at any time during the election contain or use any election-dedicated voting system technology that is not deposited by the state with the NIST National Software Reference Library before the election.