United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2018
Clarity on Small Business Participation in Category Management Act of 2018 This bill amends the Small Business Act to revise the Small Business Administration's reporting requirements to the President and to Congress on procurement contracts to include spending data in each best in class designation (highest current industry performance level) and total contract amounts awarded to (1) Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small businesses, (2) small businesses owned and controlled by women, (3) small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, and (4) socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the federal government and is not subject to privatization.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2018
Capping Prescription Costs Act of 2018 This bill caps the monthly prescription-drug cost-sharing permitted under qualified health plans and group health plans.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Parent PLUS Loan Improvement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify the applicable terms and conditions with respect to Federal Direct PLUS Loans to parent borrowers (i.e., parent PLUS loans). Specifically, it reduces the interest rate and eliminates the origination fee for a parent PLUS loan disbursed on or after July 1, 2018. The Department of Education must ensure, prior to disbursement, that a parent PLUS loan borrower receives counseling that includes comprehensive information on the terms, conditions, and responsibilities with respect to the loan. The bill makes a parent PLUS loan eligible for the income-contingent and income-based repayment plans. Additionally, it makes a consolidation loan that repays parent PLUS loan eligible for the income-based repayment plan.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Recognizes the contributions of African Americans to the musical heritage of the United States. Recognizes that Black History Month and African-American Music Appreciation Month is an important time to celebrate this impact and to encourage greater access to music education.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2018
Fairness for Farm Workers Act This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 with respect to agricultural workers. The bill requires employers, beginning in 2019, to compensate agricultural workers for hours worked in excess of their regular hours (i.e., 55 hours in 2019, 50 hours in 2020, 45 hours in 2021, and 40 hours in 2022) at not less than one and one-half times the employee's regular rate. For employers with 25 or fewer employees, the overtime pay requirements begin in 2022. These overtime pay requirements do not apply, as in current law, to employees who are the parent, spouse, child, or other member of the employer's immediate family. The bill also repeals the exemption from overtime pay requirements for employers in various agriculture-related industries, including certain small farms, irrigation projects, sugar processing, and cotton ginning and compressing.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2018
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a national advisory committee to address the needs of individuals with disabilities during all-hazards emergencies.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2018
Mental Health Care for Children Inhumanely Separated from Parents by the Federal Government Act of 2018 This bill requires the federal government to ensure that children who are separated from their parents at the border by the Department of Homeland Security receive mental health services for free, including a mental health assessment within 24 hours of such separation and annually thereafter. Children who have already been separated (since April 6, 2018) must receive a mental health assessment within 24 hours after enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Guarantee Access to Arts and Music Education Act of 2018 or the GAAME Act of 2018 This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to specify that Title I funds (which support the instructional needs of students from low-income families) may be used for arts and music programs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Keep Families Together Act This bill prohibits an agent or contractor of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Health and Human Services from removing a child who is under the age of 18 and has no permanent immigration status from his or her parent or legal guardian at or near the port of entry or within 100 miles of the U.S. border unless: an authorized state court determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed; a state or county child welfare official with expertise in child trauma and development determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed because of abuse or neglect; or the Chief Patrol Agent or the Area Port Director authorizes separation based on a documented finding that the child is a trafficking victim or is at significant risk of becoming a victim, a strong likelihood exists that the adult is not the parent or legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. A child may not be removed from a parent or guardian unless an independent licensed child welfare expert authorizes the separation within 48 hours of such removal. An agency may not remove a child from a parent or legal guardian solely for the policy goals of deterring migration to the United States or of promoting immigration law compliance. The bill sets forth presumptions: (1) in favor of family and sibling unity and parental rights, and (2) that detention is not in the best interests of families and children. The bill limits the prosecution of asylum seekers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Know the Lowest Price Act of 2018 This bill prohibits a health-benefits plan or pharmacy-benefits manager under Medicare or Medicare Advantage from restricting a pharmacy from informing an enrollee of any difference between the price of a drug under the plan and the price of the drug without health-insurance coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act This bill prohibits a health insurance plan or pharmacy benefits manager from restricting a pharmacy from informing an enrollee of any difference between the cost of a drug under the plan and the cost of the drug without health insurance coverage. (Such restrictions are commonly referred to as gag clauses.)
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Recognizes the historical significance and supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
National Commission of the Federal Response to Natural Disasters in Puerto Rico Act of 2018 This bill establishes a National Commission of the Federal Response to Natural Disasters in Puerto Rico to examine the federal preparedness, response, and recovery to the 2017 natural disasters in Puerto Rico. The commission shall take into consideration the federal preparedness, response, and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico as compared to other jurisdictions impacted by the 2017 hurricane season, and consider other issues, including the impact and destruction of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the vulnerability of Puerto Rico's economic situation on preparedness, the implications of Puerto Rico's reliance on imported oil for power generation, and the adequacy of the telecommunications network in Puerto Rico.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
This bill specifies that an offense involving lynching is a hate crime act. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the War on Drugs has failed to achieve its goal of reducing drug use. Apologizes to those harmed through the War on Drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
Counting Our Unexpected Natural Tragedies' Victims Act of 2018 or the COUNT Victims Act This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to contract with the National Academy of Medicine to conduct a study of matters concerning best practices in mortality counts as a result of a major disaster. A report on the study must be completed and transmitted to FEMA within two years after the contract date of September 30, 2018. The study shall address approaches to quantifying mortality and significant morbidity among populations affected by major disasters and shall include best practices and policy recommendations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
International Human Rights Defense Act of 2018 This bill establishes in the Department of State a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex) Peoples who shall serve as the principal State Department advisor regarding human rights for LGBTI people and represent the United States in diplomatic matters relevant to the human rights of LGBTI people. The special envoy shall periodically provide Congress with a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTI people. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development may provide assistance to prevent and respond to such activities against LGBTI people. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to require that annual country reports on human rights practices include information on criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2018
Minorities in Aviation Education Act of 2018 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to establish the Bessie Coleman Aviation Education Program to improve the preparation and representation of students, particularly women and minorities, in aviation-related fields.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2018 This bill establishes a series of programs and requirements relating to the health of minority populations, including provisions to improve data collection, health literacy, health workforce diversity, and overall access to health care.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act This bill prohibits the Bureau of Land Management from administering an oil and gas leasing, development, production, and transportation program in and from the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2018
Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2018 This bill requires the House of Representatives and the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the U.S. merchant mariners of World War II, in recognition of their service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to transmit to the House of Representatives copies of any document, record, memo, correspondence, or other communication of DHS or any portion of any such communication, that refers or relates to the use of ZTE Corporation's cybersecurity products.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
No Couches for Congress Act This bill amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to: (1) prohibit Members of the House from using congressional offices or official House resources for personal overnight accommodations, and (2) require the House Committee on Ethics to respond to complaints filed by Members of the House. The bill also amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow Members of the House a deduction of up to $3,000 for living expenses with an adjustment for inflation after 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2018
Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the deduction from gross income 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 · 11 May 2018
Jobs and Justice Act of 2018 This bill addresses a wide variety of domestic policy matters and focuses on economically distressed communities, opportunities for minorities and the disadvantaged, and civil rights enforcement. Included in the programs and requirements affected are those concerning: diversity in contracting; infrastructure development; areas of persistent poverty; job training for youth and older Americans; education of girls and minorities in STEM fields; the federal minimum wage; military family benefits; health care coverage and access; small business investment; commercial investment in underserved areas, including through tax benefits; housing, including affordability and homelessness programs, landlord-tenant matters, public housing, foreclosure mitigation, and discrimination; access to higher education, including through community college attendance; science, technology, and information security education; hate crimes; law enforcement officer conduct; law enforcement resources and administration; juvenile justice; sentencing procedures; voting rights and administration; prison administration; and firearms sales and possession.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2018
Workplace Democracy Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and related labor laws to preserve workers' rights to join labor organizations and engage in collective bargaining. Specifically, it prohibits employers from classifying employees as independent contractors or supervisors to avoid employee participation in union activities; allows the National Labor Relation Board to certify a union, without a secret election, if it receives the consent of the majority of eligible workers; requires employers to begin negotiating with a new union within 10 days of its certification; prohibits coercion of employees to to participate in campaign activities unrelated to their job duties; requires employers to make disclosures of anti-labor organization activities; and repeals provisions allowing states to prevent labor organizations from collecting dues from nonunion workers who benefit from union representation (right to work laws).
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2018
The Solitary Confinement Study and Reform Act of 2018 This bill establishes the National Solitary Confinement Study and Reform Commission: (1) to study the impact of solitary confinement in correctional facilities on governments, communities, and social institutions; (2) to report findings; and (3) to recommend national standards to reduce the use of solitary confinement. The bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publish national standards to reduce solitary confinement in correctional facilities. The Bureau of Prisons must comply with the national standards immediately. A state or local government must certify compliance with the national standards to be eligible for DOJ-administered grant program funding to construct, maintain, or operate correctional facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2018
Burn Pits Accountability Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the military departments to evaluate whether each member of the Armed Forces has been (1) based or stationed where an open air burn pit was used to dispose of waste, or (2) exposed to toxic airborne chemicals. Members located where an open burn pit was used or exposed to toxic airborne chemicals must be enrolled in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, unless the member elects not to enroll. The evaluations must be included in periodic health assessments, physical exams conducted immediately prior to separation from active duty, and deployment assessments. DOD must share the results of the evaluations with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2018
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month. (PCOS is caused by a hormone imbalance. Symptoms can include infertility, weight gain, excess hair growth, and acne.) Recognizes the need for further research, improved treatment and care options, and a cure for PCOS. Acknowledges the struggles affecting all women and girls afflicted with PCOS.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Women's Equality Workforce Oversight Act or the WE Work Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study to determine which federal agencies have the greatest impact on women's participation in the workforce and evaluate the impact of those agencies. Such agencies shall include, at a minimum: the Department of Labor, specifically the Women's Bureau; the Department of Transportation; the Small Business Administration, including the Office of Women's Business Ownership; and any apprenticeship program that receives funding from a federal agency. The study shall examine, among other things, each agency's policies and procedures for improving the participation of women in the workforce and shall also include an analysis of specific barriers to such participation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Barbara Rose Johns in recognition of her achievements and contributions to the nation and civil rights.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2018
Disabled Access Credit Expansion Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for expenditures by an eligible small business to provide access to disabled individuals, to: (1) increase from $10,250 to $20,500 the annual dollar limitation for eligible access expenditures, (2) require the $20,500 limit to be adjusted for inflation after 2018, and (3) increase from $1 million to $2.5 million the gross receipts limitation for an eligible small business.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2018
Special Counsel Transparency Act of 2018 This bill establishes reporting requirements with respect to a special counsel appointed under Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations. Specifically, it establishes these requirements: a special counsel must report periodically on the status of an investigation; a special counsel who is removed from office must report on the status of an investigation, as of the date of dismissal; and DOJ must report on the status of an investigation following the removal of a special counsel.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2018
Reentry and Reunification Act of 2018 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to admit an otherwise inadmissible alien for lawful permanent residence if such person is the spouse, parent, or guardian of a U.S. citizen; has been a person of good moral character; has been removed from the United States or is subject to removal; is not inadmissible or deportable under specified grounds; has not participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion; has not been convicted of federal or state crimes with a term of imprisonment of more than one year; and in the case of an alien subject to removal, has been continuously present in the United States for four years.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Stephen Michael Gleason Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Stephen Michael Gleason.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2018
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and values of the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Fair Housing Act and the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, and (2) activities to celebrate the historical milestones represented by such anniversaries.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Creating Tech Startup Jobs Act This bill allows several tax credits for a qualified research intensive small business concern, which is a small business that is not over 10 years old, has fewer than 100 employees, and spends at least 30% of its gross expenditures on research or experimental expenditures. For a qualified research intensive small business concern, the bill allows a research intensive investment credit for taxpayers who acquire an equity investment in the business, a research employment credit for a portion of the first-year research wages that the business pays to full-time research employees, and a research expenditure credit for a portion of the research or experimental expenditures of the business. The bill also (1) sets forth a special rule for the inclusion in gross income of partnership interests transferred in connection with the performance of services, and (2) modifies the tax treatment of partners who provide investment management services to partnerships.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Correct the Census Count Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce, beginning with the 2020 decennial census, to attribute to an individual who is incarcerated in a correctional center as of the date on which such census is taken such individual's last place of residence before incarceration.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2018
Social Security Administration Accountability Act of 2018 This bill (1) revises requirements regarding the content and submission of the annual budget for the Social Security Administration (SSA), and (2) restricts the SSA from closing or consolidating a field or hearing office without providing specified notice and justification.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2018
Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2018 This bill prohibits discrimination, under a federally assisted program, against public school students on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates. The bill authorizes federal departments and agencies to terminate the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating this prohibition. An aggrieved individual may assert a violation of this bill in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2018
Accelerated Payments for Small Businesses Act of 2018 This bill establishes a goal for federal agencies to pay small business invoices within 15 days of receiving a proper invoice if a specific payment date is not established by contract.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2018
Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2018 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to modify requirements for tax-favored retirement savings accounts, employer-provided retirement plans, and retirement benefits for federal judges. With respect to employer-provided plans, the bill modifies requirements regarding: multiple employer plans, automatic enrollment and nonelective contributions, loans, terminating or transferring plans, reporting and disclosure rules, nondiscrimination rules, selecting lifetime income providers, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums. The bill also increases the tax credit for small employer pension plan startup costs and allows a tax credit for small employers that establish retirement plans that include automatic enrollment. With respect to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), the bill: treats taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation, repeals the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, and permits any IRA to be a shareholder of any S corporation that is a bank. The bill makes several modifications to retirement benefits for magistrate judges of the U.S. Tax Court and other federal judges. The bill also modifies various tax provisions to: reinstate and increase the tax exclusion for benefits provided to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders, revise the required distribution rules for pension plans, increase penalties for failing to file tax or retirement plan returns, and require the Internal Revenue Service to share returns and return information with U.S. Customs Border Protection to administer the heavy vehicle use tax.
![Official portrait of Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000193_200.jpg)