United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019 This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund if an appropriations bill for the FAA has not been enacted before a fiscal year begins or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the FAA is not in effect. The bill provides appropriations at the rate of operations that was provided for the prior fiscal year to continue programs, projects, and activities for which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
This resolution urges the President to work with allies to lead a multinational freedom of navigation operation in the Black Sea to push back against excessive Russian claims of sovereignty. It also calls for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to enhance allied maritime presence and capabilities in the Black Sea and for European governments to cancel the Nord Stream 2 pipeline due to its threat to European energy security. The resolution also urges the President to provide additional security assistance to Ukraine and states that the President is required by statute to impose mandatory sanctions on Russia.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Safety, Efficiency, and Accountability in Transportation Projects Through Public Inspection Act of 2019 This bill requires public employees to perform construction inspection functions in carrying out a design-build project that uses a 2-phase contract.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
National Heritage Area Act of 2019 This bill establishes a National Heritage Areas System to recognize certain areas of the United States that tell nationally significant stories and to conserve, enhance, and interpret the areas' natural, historic, scenic, and cultural resources that illustrate significant aspects of U.S. heritage. Through such system, the Department of the Interior may provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of such areas. The system shall be comprised of such areas designated by Congress under this bill; such areas designated after enactment of this bill, unless the law designating the area exempts it from inclusion in the system; 49 specified areas; and any other national heritage areas designated before this bill's enactment. National heritage areas shall not be considered to be units of the National Park System. Interior shall (1) undertake studies as directed by Congress to assess the feasibility of designating proposed national heritage areas; (2) approve or disapprove the management plan prepared by the local coordinating entity for an area; and (3) evaluate the accomplishments of an area every 10 years after its designation and submit a recommendation on whether federal funding for such area should be continued, reduced, or eliminated.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 This bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China. The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2020-FY2022, by reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2019 or the Autism CARES Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and revises several programs and activities relating to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Among other things, the bill reauthorizes provisions relating to (1) expanded ASD research at the National Institutes of Health; (2) ASD education, early detection, and intervention activities supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration; and (3) the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. The bill also generally revises the scope of such programs and activities to encompass ASD individuals of all ages, rather than only youth.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies regarding prices for drugs covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Current law prohibits the CMS from doing so.) The CMS must take certain factors into account during negotiations, including the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the drug, the financial burden on patients, and unmet patient needs. If the CMS is unable to negotiate the price of a drug, such drug is subject to competitive licensing in order to further its sale under Medicare, notwithstanding existing government-granted exclusivities. Additionally, for one year after a drug is provided under a competitive license, such drug is also subject to specified price limitations; if the drug is not offered at such prices, the drug is subject to additional licensing that furthers its sale under any federal program (e.g., Medicaid).
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Immigrant Detainee Legal Rights Act This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish an Office of Legal Access Programs within the Executive Office of Immigration Review. The office shall develop and administer programs to educate detained aliens about their legal rights under U.S. immigration law. The programs shall (1) assist detained aliens in making informed and timely decisions regarding their removal and eligibility for relief from removal; and (2) identify particularly vulnerable aliens, such as unaccompanied children, for right to counsel considerations. The programs may also provide services to detained aliens in specified immigration (detention and removal) and asylum proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security shall establish procedures to ensure that such programs are available to all detained aliens within five days of arrival into custody, and provide such aliens with various information related to immigration hearing procedures and their rights under immigration law.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Supreme Court Ethics Act This bill establishes a new statutory requirement for the Judicial Conference of the United States (Judicial Conference) to issue a judicial code of conduct for judges and justices of U.S. courts (including Justices of the Supreme Court). Currently, the Judicial Conference issues a code of conduct for judges of U.S. courts (but not for Justices of the Supreme Court).
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act This bill establishes that a foreign nongovernmental organization shall not be disqualified from receiving certain U.S. international development assistance solely because the organization provides medical services using non-U.S. government funds if the medical services are legal in both the United States and the country in which they are being provided. Such foreign organizations shall not be subject to requirements relating to their use of non-U.S. funds for advocacy or lobbying activities, other than those that apply to U.S. nongovernmental organizations. Current U.S. policy prohibits various foreign assistance from going to a foreign nongovernmental organization unless it agrees to not perform or actively promote abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Employer Participation in Repayment Act of 2019 This bill expands the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to include payments of qualified education loans by an employer to either an employee or a lender.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Uighur Intervention and Global Humanitarian Unified Response Act of 2019 or the UIGHUR Act of 2019 This bill imposes sourcing restrictions and export controls related to China's mass detention of the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnic group in Xinjiang province. Executive agencies shall not procure goods or services from foreign persons who in the last three years substantially facilitated or knowingly assisted such mass detention. When procuring goods or services from U.S. persons, executive agencies shall provide adverse consideration to awarding contracts to those involved with such mass detention, and assess the availability of other sources. The President may waive these restrictions for national security or national interest purposes. The Department of Commerce shall deny applications to export to China various technologies, including those related to artificial intelligence or biometrics, unless the applicant certifies that the technology will not be knowingly used to facilitate the mass detention of Turkic Muslims. The Department of State shall ensure that certain U.S. diplomatic facilities in China can provide services in the Uyghur language. The State Department shall establish a website for reporting harassment or surveillance of persons in the United States by Chinese representatives or agents, and procedures for sharing such reports with law enforcement agencies. This bill directs various agencies to report on specified topics, including China's development of technologies related to mass detection and surveillance.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Aretha Franklin Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill instructs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Aretha Franklin in recognition of her outstanding artistic and historical significance to the culture of the United States. Following the award of the medal, it shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be displayed as appropriate and made available for research.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2019
Safeguard American Food Exports Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the knowing sale or transport of equines (i.e., horses or other members of the horse family) or equine parts for human consumption.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2019
This resolution recognizes Black History Month as an important time to reflect on the significant contributions of African Americans in the history of the United States, including in the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Never Again Education Act This bill creates the Holocaust Education Assistance Program Fund for the Department of Education (ED) to (1) award grants to eligible entities to carry out Holocaust education programs, and (2) conduct periodic regional workshops to provide teachers with technical assistance on how to incorporate Holocaust education within state and local education standards. The fund may accept donations and in-kind contributions. ED shall (1) create and maintain a Holocaust education program website containing resources for middle grades and high schools; and (2) establish the Holocaust Education Advisory Board to advise on developing application criteria for the fund's grants, to advise on content for the Holocaust education program website, and to lead efforts to solicit donations for the fund.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Miners Pension Protection Act This bill transfers certain funds to provide pension benefits for retired coal miners who have been affected by issues such as coal company bankruptcies. The Department of the Treasury must transfer additional funds to the 1974 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Pension Plan to pay pension benefits required under that plan if the annual limit on transfers under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 exceeds the amount required to be transferred for existing obligations of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund. The bill also increases the annual limit on transfers from $490 million to $750 million. The bill also allows in-service distributions under a pension plan or governmental section 457(b) plan at age 59-1/2 (currently age 62).
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2019 This bill provides financial assistance in FY2020-FY2029 for long-term improvements to public school facilities by allocating funds to states for school improvements, awarding need-based grants to local education agencies, and restoring school infrastructure tax credit bonds. The bill specifies allowable uses of grant funds, including making major repairs of public school facilities and making public school facilities accessible to disabled individuals. The bill requires local education agencies to adopt certain green practices (environmental standards) and use products made in the United States (Buy America). The Department of Education must establish a clearinghouse to disseminate information to assist schools in initiating, developing, and financing energy efficiency projects, distributed generation projects, and energy retrofitting projects. The bill increases funding through FY2023 for the Impact Aid Construction program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Veteran Treatment Court Coordination Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a Veterans Treatment Court Program to provide grants and technical assistance for state, local, and tribal governments to develop and maintain veterans treatment courts.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act This bill revises the prohibition on undetectable firearms. Specifically, the bill prohibits the manufacture, importation, sale, shipment, delivery, possession, transfer, or receipt of (1) any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than major components, is not as detectable by walk-through metal detectors as the Security Exemplar (an object fabricated for the testing and calibration of metal detectors); or (2) any major component of a firearm that is undetectable by detection devices commonly used at airports for security screenings. The bill exempts from this prohibition (1) a prototype firearm for detectability testing; (2) any firearm received by, in the possession of, or under the control of the United States; or (3) the manufacture, importation, possession, transfer, receipt, shipment, or delivery of a firearm by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer pursuant to an existing contract with the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Intelligence Directors Lobbying Prevention Act of 2019 This bill prohibits any individual who served as the head of any element of the intelligence community from acting as the agent of a foreign principal, including by engaging in lobbying activity on behalf of a foreign entity. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with each element of the intelligence community, shall submit annual reports to Congress on the compliance of former heads of such elements with respect to such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Bird-Safe Buildings Act of 2019 This bill requires each public building constructed, acquired, or of which more than 50% of the facade is substantially altered by the General Services Administration (GSA) to meet the following standards: at least 90% of the exposed facade material from ground level to 40 feet shall not be composed of glass or shall be composed of glass which employs any combination of the methods of modification described in this bill; at least 60% of the exposed facade material above 40 feet shall meet such modified glass standard; there shall not be any transparent passageways or corners; all glass adjacent to atria or courtyards containing water features, plants, and other materials attractive to birds shall meet the standard; and outside lighting shall be appropriately shielded and minimized subject to security and other mission related requirements. The GSA must (1) ensure that actual bird mortality is monitored at each public building; and (2) reduce exterior building and site lighting for each public building, where practicable and consistent with the requirements for outside lighting. The bill exempts from these requirements buildings and sites listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the White House and its grounds, the Supreme Court building and its grounds, and the U.S. Capitol and its related buildings and grounds.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act of 2019 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an order requiring installation of a secondary cockpit barrier on commercial aircraft.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 This bill orders the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl, in recognition of his acts of valor during World War II. The U.S. Mint may strike and sell duplicates in bronze.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act This bill revises a grant program administered by the Administration for Native Americans at the Department of Health and Human Services to preserve Native American languages. The minimum number of enrollees in educational programs funded by grants is reduced from 10 to 5 enrollees in Native American language nests, which provide instruction through the use of a Native American language for children under the age of 7 and their parents. For survival schools, which are programs striving for fluency in a Native American language and proficiency in other academic fields, the minimum number of enrollees is reduced from 15 to 10. The bill increases the maximum duration of grants. The program is reauthorized through FY2024.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Merrill's Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), commonly known as Merrill's Marauders, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma (Myanmar) during World War II. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be displayed and made available for research.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act This bill modifies the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to (1) increase from $250 to $500 the annual limit on the expenses that may be deducted, and (2) require the limit to be adjusted for inflation after 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Transformation to Competitive Employment Act This bill addresses employment standards for individuals with disabilities. The bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants to states and certain eligible entities to assist them in transforming their business and program models to support individuals with disabilities by operating competitive integrated employment businesses, assisting disabled individuals in finding and retaining work in such employment, and providing integrated employment and integrated community participation and wraparound services for such individuals. The bill prohibits the issuance of new special certificates that allow payment of subminimum wages to disabled individuals and phases out existing certificates over a six year period. The bill directs the Office of Disability Employment of Labor to award grants to provide technical assistance to employers transitioning from special certificates to competitive integrated employment for disabled individuals. Labor must contract with a nonprofit entity to conduct an evaluation of the impact of the transitioning requirements of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Social Security 2100 Act This bill increases various Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefits and related taxes. The bill increases the primary insurance amount (e.g., the amount a Social Security beneficiary receives if the beneficiary begins receiving benefits at normal retirement age) by increasing the percentage of the beneficiary's average indexed monthly earnings used to calculate the amount. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shall publish a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers, which the Social Security Administration (SSA) shall use to calculate cost-of-living adjustments to benefits. Currently, the SSA uses a price index for wage earners to make such adjustments. The bill increases the minimum benefit amount for individuals who worked for more than 10 years by creating an alternative minimum benefit. A qualifying beneficiary shall receive that alternative minimum if it is higher than the standard calculated benefit amount. The bill increases the income threshold that a beneficiary must reach before Social Security benefits are taxable. Increased benefits from this bill shall not count as income when determining an individual's eligibility or benefit amounts for (1) Medicaid, (2) the Children's Health Insurance Program, or (3) the Supplemental Security Income program. Income above $400,000 shall be included when calculating Social Security benefits and taxes. The bill also increases rates for the payroll and self-employment taxes that fund OASDI. The bill establishes the Social Security Trust Fund, which replaces the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Paycheck Fairness Act This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex. It amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. The bill directs the Department of Labor to: (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. The bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Get the Lead Out of Schools Act This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to (1) test for lead in drinking water at schools and day care facilities, and (2) create a grant program for lead testing and remediation efforts in schools and day care facilities. Specifically, the EPA must promulgate a national primary drinking water regulation for schools and day care facilities that establishes a lead action level (a level of lead in drinking water that triggers additional actions to control lead contamination) that is no more than 15 parts per billion; directs each public water system to sample for lead in the drinking water at schools and day care facilities if the EPA determines there is a risk that the lead in the drinking water will meet or exceed the action level; and requires public water systems that serve schools or day cares that meet or exceed the action level to notify the local educational agency, the relevant local health agencies, the municipality, and the state as soon as practicable, but no later than 24 hours after the system receives the sampling results. The EPA must also establish a grant program for (1) testing drinking water in schools and day care facilities for lead contamination, and (2) remediating lead contamination in such drinking water by replacing lead pipes and certain plumbing materials with lead-free material.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
This bill prohibits making funds, resources, or fees available to any federal agency to implement or enforce Executive Order 13780 and Presidential Proclamation 9645, which suspended individuals from several countries of concern, including Chad, Iran, and Libya, from entering the United States. The Proclamation also provided for enhanced U.S. vetting capacities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Transition-to-Success Mentoring Act This bill reauthorizes educational programs that assist at-risk middle school students. The bill establishes a transition-to-success mentoring program requiring the Department of Education to award grants to local educational agencies or certain community-based nonprofit organizations to provide school-based mentoring programs and assist at-risk students in transitioning from middle to high school. Grantees must assign each at-risk student in his or her middle school a success coach who creates a plan of success for the student and serves as the student's advocate between the student's parents and teachers and in exploring higher education and career opportunities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
This resolution expresses the commitment of the House of Representatives to (1) take bipartisan action to amend the U.S Code to prevent lapses in appropriations and permanently end government shutdowns, and (2) ensure that no Americans have to suffer the consequences of future government shutdowns.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 201 9 This bill repeals the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans). The repeal applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019 This bill imposes a fee on the carbon content of fuels, including crude oil, natural gas, coal, or any other product derived from those fuels that will be used so as to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The fee is imposed on the producers or importers of the fuels and is equal to the greenhouse gas content of the fuel multiplied by the carbon fee rate. The rate begins at $15 in 2019, increases by $10 each year, and is subject to further adjustments based on the progress in meeting specified emissions reduction targets. The bill also imposes a specified fee on fluorinated greenhouse gases. The bill includes exemptions for fuels used for agricultural or nonemitting purposes, exemptions for fuels used by the Armed Forces, rebates for facilities that capture and sequester carbon dioxide, and border adjustment provisions that require certain fees or refunds for carbon-intensive products that are exported or imported. The fees must be deposited into a Carbon Dividend Trust Fund and used for administrative expenses and dividend payments to U.S. citizens or lawful residents. The fees must be decommissioned when emissions levels and monthly dividend payments fall below specified levels. The bill also suspends certain regulations that limit greenhouse gas emissions. The suspensions expire if the emissions targets established by this bill are not reached after a specified time period.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Federal Worker Childcare Protection Act of 2019 This bill provides for the reimbursement of childcare expenses of federal employees who are furloughed or working without pay during the lapse in appropriations that began on or about December 22, 2018. The reimbursements are provided (1) subject to appropriations, and (2) if the employee can provide documentation to the General Services Administration in the form of a receipt from a childcare provider.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Creating Accountability Measures Protecting University Students Historically Abused, Threatened, and Exposed to Crimes Act or the CAMPUS HATE Crimes Act This bill establishes measures to hold institutions of higher education accountable for hate crimes that occur on their campuses, including by conditioning the receipt of certain federal funding on an institution's implementation of a program to prevent and respond to such crimes. The Department of Education may award grants to support such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act or the PACT Act This bill revises and expands criminal provisions with respect to animal crushing. It retains existing criminal offenses that prohibit knowingly creating or distributing an animal crush video using interstate commerce. The bill also adds a new provision to criminalize an intentional act of animal crushing. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to seven years, or both. It provides additional exceptions for conduct, or a video of conduct, including conduct that is (1) medical or scientific research, (2) necessary to protect the life or property of a person, (3) performed as part of euthanizing an animal, or (4) unintentional.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019 This bill makes it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins or any product containing shark fins, except for certain dogfish fins. A person may possess a shark fin that was lawfully taken consistent with a license or permit under certain circumstances. Penalties are imposed for violations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill expands and reauthorizes through FY2024 specified nursing workforce development programs. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes (1) loan repayment and scholarships for nurses; (2) loans for nursing faculty development; (3) advanced education nursing grants; (4) grants for increasing nursing workforce diversity; and (5) nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants. Eligibility for nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants is expanded to include nurse-managed health clinics that provide primary care to underserved communities. Further, grants for nursing career ladder programs are expanded to (1) promote career advancement for individuals to become registered nurses or advanced education nurses and (2) support internships and residency programs that encourage mentoring and the development of specialties. In addition, eligibility for advanced education nursing grants is expanded to include education of clinical nurse leaders in combined registered nurse graduate degree programs. Clinical nurse leaders are advanced generalist clinicians who apply research and coordinate care to improve outcomes for patients. Eligibility is also extended to clinical nurse specialist programs that provide registered nurses with full-time clinical nurse specialist education that qualifies participating nurses to provide a full range of care. The bill also revises specified grant reporting and program evaluation requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
Make Identifiable Criminal Rounds Obvious Act or the MICRO Act This bill requires certain semiautomatic pistols to be capable of microstamping ammunition. A pistol is capable of microstamping ammunition if (1) the characters that identify the make, model, and serial number of the pistol are etched into the breech face and firing pin of the pistol; and (2) these characters are copied onto the cartridge case of the ammunition when the pistol fires such ammunition. Specifically, the bill prohibits a federal firearms licensee (e.g., a gun dealer) from manufacturing, importing, or transferring a semiautomatic pistol that is not capable of microstamping ammunition. Violators are subject to fines. The bill also makes it unlawful for any person to remove, obliterate, or alter the microstamped code or microstamping capability of a firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Violators are subject to fines and suspension or revocation of any firearms license.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
2020 Census Improving Data and Enhanced Accuracy Act or the 2020 Census IDEA Act This bill prohibits the Department of Commerce, in the 2020 decennial census and each decennial census thereafter, from (1) implementing any major operational design feature that has not been researched, studied, and tested for at least three years before the date on which the applicable census occurs; or (2) including on the questionnaire for the census any subject, type of information, or question that was not submitted to Congress. The Government Accountability Office must certify to Congress that the subjects, types of information, and questions to be included in a decennial census have been adequately researched, studied, and tested to the same degree as in previous decennial censuses.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2019
U.S. Senator Joseph D. Tydings Memorial Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2019 or the PAST Act This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take a series of actions relating to palliative-care training. Specifically, HHS must provide support for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers. The centers must improve the training of health professionals in palliative care and establish traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced-education nursing degrees, social-work degrees, or advanced degrees in physician-assistant studies in palliative care. HHS may provide support to medical schools, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical-education programs for training physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine. HHS must (1) provide Palliative Medicine and Hospice Academic Career Awards to individuals to promote their career development, (2) support entities that operate a Palliative Care and Hospice Education Center, (3) support individuals in specified fields who are pursuing an advanced degree in palliative care or related fields, and (4) award grants to nursing programs to train individuals in providing palliative care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must provide for a national education and awareness campaign to inform patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care. The National Institutes of Health must expand national research programs in palliative care.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 This bill directs various U.S. government bodies to prepare reports on China's treatment of the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnic group. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall report to Congress on issues including the security threats caused by the Chinese government's reported crackdown on the Uyghur population in Xinjiang province, the frequency with which other governments are forcibly returning Turkic Muslim refugees and asylum seekers to China, and the development or transfer of technology that facilitates mass internment and surveillance. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall report on topics such as its efforts to protect ethnic Uyghurs and Chinese nationals in the United States from Chinese government intimidation. The U.S. Agency for Global Media shall report on media-related matters, including the reach of U.S. media into Xinjiang, assessments of Chinese propaganda strategies, and U.S. actions to counter such efforts to downplay the crackdown. The Department of State shall report on the scope of the reported crackdown in Xinjiang, including the number of detained individuals, the use of forced labor in the region, an assessment of government surveillance in the province, and U.S. diplomatic efforts to address the crackdown.