United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
400 Years of African-American History Commission Act This bill establishes the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619. The commission must: plan programs to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had on the United States; encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, religious, and economic organizations to organize and participate in anniversary activities; assist states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration; and coordinate for the public scholarly research on the arrival of Africans in the United States and their contributions to this country. The commission may provide grants to: (1) communities and nonprofit organizations for the development of programs; and (2) research and scholarly organizations to research, publish, or distribute information relating to the arrival of Africans in the United States. The commission shall terminate on July 1, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Low Income Sewer and Water Assistance Program Act of 2016 This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a pilot program that awards grants to at least 10 eligible entities for assisting low-income households maintain access to sanitation (water and sewer) services. In order to be eligible for grants, entities must be municipalities, or public entities that own or operate public water systems, that are affected by consent decrees related to compliance with standards under that Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Lake Berryessa Recreation Enhancement Act of 2016 This bill establishes as the Lake Berryessa Recreation Area specified land administered by the Bureau of Reclamation that is underlying or adjacent to Lake Berryessa in California, including any improvements. The bill transfers the administrative jurisdiction over the area from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior. Interior shall develop a management plan for the area and may establish guidelines and restrictions on recreational uses to ensure the safety and security of recreational users. Interior may also issue recreation concession permits, including at the area, to allow a third party to provide facilities and services to visitors on lands and waters managed by the BLM in support of outdoor recreational opportunities. Reclamation shall continue to administer and operate the Monticello Dam and any related facility, including any power facility.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2016
Recognizes Black History Month as an important time to acknowledge and reflect on the significant contributions of African-Americans in the nation's history. Honors the contributions of African-American service members, including the 88 who have been awarded the Medal of Honor for military bravery, heroism, and valor.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2016
Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act of 2016 This bill repeals: (1) provisions authorizing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a human resources management system for some or all of its organizational units, and (2) the authority granted to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish or modify a personnel management system for TSA employees engaged in airport security screening. Within 60 days after the enactment date of this bill: (1) any such human resources management system and all TSA personnel management policies, directives, letters, and guidelines shall cease to be effective, and (2) all TSA positions and DHS positions that provide transportation security in furtherance of the purposes of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act shall become subject to general civil service provisions. This bill sets forth transition rules that protect the pay rates and other rights of such employees. DHS shall consult with the labor organization certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority to carry out the conversion of such positions. The provisions of this bill do not affect the prohibitions against disloyalty and asserting the right to strike against the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Commemorates Representatives Sam Johnson and John Lewis for their patriotic service and sacrifice to the country they love and for becoming the first ever recipients of the Congressional Patriot Award.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
Recognizes the 146th anniversary of the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibits the government from denying a citizen the right to vote on the basis of race. Acknowledges the significance of the Fifteenth Amendment and continues to support its goals and ideals.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2016
Fair Medicare Hospital Payments Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish, with respect to hospitals not located in a frontier state, a floor on the area wage adjustment factor for hospital inpatient and outpatient services covered under Medicare. (Such a floor already applies with respect to hospitals located in frontier states.)
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2016
DHS Acquisition Documentation Integrity Act of 2016 This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to require the head of a relevant component or office to: maintain acquisition documentation that is complete, accurate, timely, and valid and that includes operational requirements that are validated consistent with DHS policy, a complete lifecycle cost estimate, verification of such estimate against independent cost estimates, a cost-benefit analysis, and a schedule; prepare cost estimates and schedules for major acquisition programs in a manner consistent with best practices as identified by the Government Accountability Office; and submit certain acquisition documentation to DHS to produce an annual comprehensive report on the status of DHS acquisitions for submission to Congress. DHS may waive such submission requirement for a fiscal year if the program: (1) has not entered the full rate production phase in the acquisition lifecycle, had a reasonable cost estimate established, and had a system configuration defined fully; or (2) does not meet the definition of capital asset, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. DHS shall make available to Congress, at the same time the President's budget is submitted for a fiscal year, information on the requirements of this Act in the prior fiscal year, including the following information regarding each program for which DHS has waived the submission requirement: the grounds for granting a waiver for that program; the projected cost of that program; the proportion of a component's or office's annual acquisition budget attributed to that program; and information on the significance of the program with respect to the component's operations and execution of its mission. The bill defines a "major acquisition program" as one that is estimated to require total expenditures of at least $300 million.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2016
DHS Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue a directive to DHS personnel concerning: how to identify and record information regarding individuals suspected or convicted of human trafficking that, in addition to their names, may include other personally identifiable information; and practices to enhance DHS information collaboration regarding such individuals. DHS shall ensure the integration of its information technology systems utilized to record and track such information.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Expresses condolences for the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes. Declares that the House of Representatives: confirms its dedication to the rights and dignity of all citizens; denounces the increase of hate speech and hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim; and recognizes the positive contributions made by the U.S. Muslim community to U.S. society. Declares that the civil rights and liberties of all U.S. citizens, including Muslims in the United States, should be protected. Urges law enforcement authorities to work to prevent hate crimes and to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes. Reaffirms the inalienable rights of every citizen to live without fear and intimidation and to practice freedom of faith.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2015
Medicare Fair Drug Pricing Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate with drug manufacturers in determining the price that may be charged for prescription drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Under current law, CMS may not interfere with negotiations between drug manufacturers and prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors. The bill creates an exception to this prohibition with respect to specified drugs that: (1) are single-source or biological, (2) are not both manufactured by more than two drug manufacturers and manufactured by at least one manufacturer as a generic drug, and (3) meet other specified requirements. CMS must promulgate regulations regarding the identification of such drugs. With respect to these drugs, CMS shall negotiate the price that may be charged to PDP sponsors and Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations for Medicare and MA enrollees. The bill establishes processes for negotiation and price determination in the initial plan year and subsequent plan years. A manufacturer must participate in the negotiation process as a condition of coverage under the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Denounces the attacks on health care centers for women, providers of health care for women, and patients. Affirms that all women have the right to access reproductive health care services without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2015
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Simeon Saunders Booker, Jr., in recognition of his achievements in the field of journalism, including his reporting during the civil rights movement and his social and political commentary.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Fair Treatment for Families of Veterans Act This bill revises the effective date for reductions or discontinuances of Department of Veterans Affairs compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, and pensions by reason of marriage, remarriage, or death. The effective date is changed from the last day of the month before a marriage, remarriage, or death occurs to the last day of the month during which the event occurs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Secure Refugee Process Act of 2015 This bill declares that no alien shall be admitted as a refugee: whose identity has not been satisfactorily established pursuant to Department of Homeland Security procedures, which shall address any insufficient, conflicting, or unreliable information, including biographic and biometric data that is unresolved at the time of admission; and if, by the time of admission, the alien's identity has not been checked against specified federal records or databases to determine any national security, criminal, or other grounds on which the alien may be inadmissible. An alien may only be admitted as a refugee after DHS certifies that all provisions of this Act have been complied with and that the alien has not been firmly resettled in a safe third country. DHS shall report to Congress monthly regarding the total number of refugee applicants of special interest and the number of such applicants whose applications were denied. The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct an annual risk-based review of a sampling of certifications and report its findings to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2015
No Guns for Terrorists Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to a known or suspected terrorist, as determined by the Department of Justice. (The Federal Bureau of Investigation administers the Terrorist Screening Center, which maintains the Terrorist Screening Database - the U.S. government's consolidated database of individuals known or reasonably suspected to be involved in terrorist activities.)
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center on December 9, 2015, for a ceremony to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations should be declared an existential threat to the human rights and security of the Nigerian people and their regional neighbors; the global strategy for ending the suffering and creating solutions for displaced persons in Africa includes a Victims of Terror Protection Fund, which should provide humanitarian assistance to Boko Haram victims; military technical assistance be provided to Nigeria and its neighbors; and the Victims of Terror Support Fund should be modeled after the cases of Khazakhstan and Equatorial Guinea where prior kleptocracy initiatives have been created to benefit communities and victims in need of support.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Office of Strategic Services in recognition of their service and contributions during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015
Annuity Safety and Security Under Reasonable Enforcement Act of 2015 or the ASSURE Act of 2015 Amends the Truth in Lending Act to direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to issue regulations requiring any payment to a recipient of a federal or military pension (a benefit recipient) that diminishes the benefit recipient's ability to control payments from such pension to be treated as an extension of credit. Requires financial institutions to include the terms of such credit in consumer information disclosures. Prohibits the annual percentage rate of interest on such arrangements from exceeding the federal funds rate plus 6% or an equivalent aggregate amount of cash and property. Specifies conditions under which payment of consideration in exchange for the retired pay of enlisted military members is prohibited from assignment under veterans' benefits laws. Prohibits individuals from making allotments or assignments from annuities under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS), including any agreement under which another person acquires for consideration the right to receive payment from such annuities as well as any arrangement for collateral for security for such an agreement. Exempts union dues or payments to employee organizations from such prohibitions. Authorizes benefit recipients, individuals entitled to military retired pay, and annuity recipients to bring a private legal action in federal or state court against an assignee engaging in prohibited assignments. Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to direct the CFPB to issue regulations requiring persons offering federal or military pension-related products to provide additional disclosures when advertising or selling such products to allow consumers to understand how their pension relates to the product.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015
Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for the rehabilitation of buildings and historic structures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit, up to $750,000, for projects with rehabilitation expenditures not exceeding $3.75 million, for which no credit was allowed in either of the 2 prior taxable years (smaller projects); (2) allow the transfer of tax credit amounts for smaller projects; (3) treat a building as substantially rehabilitated if rehabilitation expenditures exceed the greater of 50% of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000 (currently, the greater of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000); (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax; and (5) set forth special rules for the tax treatment of tax-exempt use property and functionally-related historic structures.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015
This bill requires: the Department of State and the Department of Defense to develop jointly and submit to Congress a five-year strategy to help Nigeria, members of the Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram, and relevant partners to counter Boko Haram, and to assist Nigeria and its neighbors to address legitimate grievances of vulnerable populations in areas affected by Boko Haram; and the Director of National Intelligence to assess the willingness and capability Nigeria and regional partners to implement such strategy. It is the sense of Congress that lack of economic opportunity and access to education, justice, and other social services contributes to Boko Haram's ability to radicalize and recruit individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015
Land-Grant Opportunity Act This bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to modify the formula that the Department of Agriculture uses to distribute funds for land-grant colleges and universities to provide additional funding for certain historically black colleges and universities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Family Stability and Kinship Care Act of 2015 This bill amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) (renamed by this Act Federal Payments for Foster Care and Permanency) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to give states the option of providing certain time-limited family services, including parenting and family skills training and counseling, to a child meeting certain criteria or the child's parents or kin caregivers. SSAct title IV part B is also amended to: eliminate the time-limit for family reunification services, increase the mandatory funding authorization for the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program, and extend funding for Family Connection Grants for one year.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015
Seniors Deserve A Raise Act This bill requires cost-of-living increases in any benefit under title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act as well as military retirement and survivor benefits by any increase in the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly. In addition to any such increase, each such benefit shall be further increased by 2.9% on January 1, 2016, and shall remain in effect every year thereafter.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015
Access to Marketplace Insurance Act This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require health insurers to accept, on behalf of individuals enrolled in qualified health plans, payments made by certain third parties, including state and federal government programs, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and certain tax exempt organizations. (Qualified health plans are eligible for subsidies and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.)
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Establishes the House Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention to investigate and report on: the causes of mass shootings, methods to improve the federal firearms purchaser background check system, connections between access to firearms and dangerously mentally ill individuals, strengthening federal penalties for trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms, closing loopholes that allow some domestic abusers continued access to firearms, linkages between firearms and suicide, gun violence's effect on public health, the correlation between state gun violence prevention laws and the incidence of gun violence, the importance of having reliable and accurate information on gun violence and its toll on our nation, the implementation of effective gun violence prevention laws in accordance with the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and rates of gun violence in large metropolitan areas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2015 This bill directs the President to: establish a five-year strategy to achieve, with target countries and donors, the goal of ending preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths globally and ensure healthy and productive lives within a generation; and provide assistance to implement the strategy. The President shall designate a current U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employee serving in the Senior Executive Service or at the level of a Deputy Assistant Administrator or higher to serve concurrently as the Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator, who shall be responsible for: overseeing such strategy, and all U.S. government funds appropriated or used for international maternal and child health and nutrition programs. The U.S. government, through USAID and other relevant executive branch agencies, should identify and remove financial barriers to strengthen access to delivery systems for vulnerable and marginalized populations by leveraging public and private capital to expand delivery of interventions for maternal, newborn, and child health.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2015
Cuba Agricultural Exports Act This bill amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to exempt from prohibitions against U.S. assistance to Cuba any exports under the market access program, the export credit guarantee program, and the foreign market development cooperator program, including any federal commodity promotion program obligations or expenditures of funds. This exemption shall not apply if the U.S. assistance recipient would be an entity controlled by the Cuban government, including the armed forces, the Ministry of the Interior, or any subdivision of either governmental entity. A person subject to U.S. jurisdiction may invest in the development of an agricultural business in Cuba if the Department of State and the Department of Agriculture jointly determine that the agricultural business: is not controlled by the government of Cuba, including the armed forces, the Ministry of the Interior, or any subdivision of either governmental entity; and does not traffic in property of persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction which was confiscated by Cuba on or after January 1, 1959. Certain language limiting financing of agricultural sales to Cuba is repealed.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2015
African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2015 This bill requires the Department of the Interior to establish within the National Park Service (NPS) a U.S. Civil Rights Network that encompasses: (1) all NPS units and programs that relate to the African American civil rights movement during the period from 1939 through 1968; (2) other federal, state, local, and privately owned properties that relate to the African American civil rights movement and that are included in, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places; and (3) other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature that are directly related to such movement. In carrying out the Network, Interior must: (1) review civil rights movement studies and reports that may already be underway or completed, such as the Civil Rights Framework Study; (2) produce and disseminate educational materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or electronic information; (3) provide technical assistance; and (4) adopt an official, uniform symbol or device for the Network and issue regulations for the symbol's use.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Scleroderma and Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act of 2015 This bill requires the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) to establish the National Commission on Scleroderma and Fibrosis Research. (Scleroderma and fibrosis are connective tissue conditions that cause hardening or scarring of skin and organs.) The commission must develop a long-term, comprehensive plan for scleroderma and fibrosis research. The plan must: (1) prioritize research that has cross-cutting value and requires coordination across NIH, and (2) include specific steps for implementation of the research. The commission must establish working groups to make research recommendations for the various organs and systems impacted by fibrotic illness. The commission must be terminated not later than two years after establishment. The NIAMS must create the Scleroderma and Fibrosis Working Group to oversee and assist with implementation of the long-term plan.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center on December 8, 2015, for a ceremony to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2015
Positive Train Control Enforcement and Implementation Act of 2015 This bill extends deadlines and modifies requirements for railroad carriers and providers of intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation to implement positive train control (PTC) systems. (A PTC system is a communications and signaling system designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, over-speed derailments, incursions into established work zone limits, and the movement of a train through a switch left in the wrong position. Railroads which carry passengers or have high-volume freight traffic with certain hazardous materials are required to implement a PTC system.) Within 60 days of enactment of this bill, each Class I railroad carrier (the largest operators by revenue) and provider of intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation must submit to the Department of Transportation (DOT) a plan for implementing PTC by December 31, 2018, instead of the December 31, 2015, deadline required under current law. DOT may extend the deadline if specified requirements are met. The revised plan must include a detailed schedule and sequence for fully implementing PTC in a manner that complies with specified regulations, and railroads must implement PTC in accordance with the plan. DOT may authorize a railroad carrier or other entity to begin the provisional operation of a PTC system without the required certification if it is necessary to enable the safe implementation of PTC in phases.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
DHS Headquarters Reform and Improvement Act of 2015 TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HEADQUARTERS REAUTHORIZATION This title amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to: (1) establish the components of the Department Headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and set forth departmental functions; (2) designate the senior DHS privacy officer as the DHS Chief Privacy Officer and set forth additional responsibilities for such Officer; (3) establish an Office of Policy in DHS to lead, conduct, and coordinate DHS-wide policy, strategic planning, and relationships with organizations or persons that are not part of DHS; and (4) establish in the Office of Policy an Office of Partnership and Engagement, an Office of International Affairs, an Office of Policy Implementation, and an Office of Strategy and Planning. The title revises and expands DHS reporting requirements for the quadrennial security review and the Future Years Homeland Security Program. The title sets forth additional duties for the DHS Under Secretary for Management (designated as the Chief Management Officer), the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Information Officer, and the Chief Human Capital Officer. The bill creates the new positions of Chief Procurement Officer and Chief Security Officer. DHS must submit: (1) a report on cost savings and efficiency reviews; and (2) a field efficiencies plan that examines the facilities and administrative and logistics functions of DHS components located within designed geographic areas. TITLE II--DHS ACQUISITION ACCOUNTABILITY AND EFFICIENCY This title amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to: (1) designate the DHS Under Secretary for Management as the DHS Chief Acquisition Officer; (2) include the DHS Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Information Officer in the DHS acquisition process; and (3) require the Under Secretary to take steps to improve the accountability, standardization, and transparency of major DHS acquisition programs. The title directs the Under Secretary for Management to: (1) establish an Acquisition Review Board to strengthen accountability and uniformity within the DHS acquisition review process, review acquisition programs, and review the use of best practices; and (2) establish DHS-wide policies to increase opportunities for effectiveness and efficiencies in the DHS major acquisition process. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must conduct a review of the effectiveness of the Board. The title establishes a process for notifying the congressional homeland security committees of a breach in a major DHS acquisition program (e.g., a failure to meet any cost, schedule, or performance requirements). The Under Secretary for Management must prepare a plan for remediating a breach and an analysis of the root cause of the breach. DHS must submit a multiyear acquisition strategy to guide the overall direction of DHS acquisition, including a plan to address DHS acquisition workforce accountability and talent management and an assessment of the feasibility of conducting a pilot program to establish a Homeland Security Acquisition Workforce Development Fund to ensure that the DHS workforce has the capacity to perform its mission and that DHS receives the best value for the expenditure of public resources. The GAO must review such multiyear acquisition strategy to determine its effectiveness, and the DHS Inspector General must review whether DHS has complied and adhered to the strategy. DHS must submit an annual comprehensive acquisition status report to the congressional homeland security committees.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Honor the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Congressman Louis Stokes. Extends heartfelt sympathies and condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
Workplace Action for a Growing Economy Act or the WAGE Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to award back pay and additional liquidated damages equal to double the back pay, without any reduction, to any employee against whom an employer has discriminated with regard to hiring or because the employee has filed charges or given testimony or if the employer has committed an unfair labor practice resulting in the employee's discharge or other serious economic loss. Civil penalties are established for violations of posting requirements and any violations causing serious economic loss to employees. Whenever it is charged that an employer has engaged in an unfair labor practice that significantly interferes with, restrains, or coerces employees in the exercise of guaranteed rights and involves discharge or other serious harm to an employee, the preliminary investigation of the charge shall be made forthwith and given priority generally over all other cases. The U.S. district court shall: (1) have jurisdiction to grant injunctive relief or a temporary restraining order to protect the rights guaranteed, and (2) shall grant the relief requested unless the court concludes that there is no reasonable likelihood that the NLRB will succeed on the merits of the NLRB's claim. A person injured by an unfair labor practice may bring a civil action in the appropriate district court. Unauthorized aliens may be paid back pay under a court order directing reinstatement of an employee. In any case where the NLRB finds that an election to determine a collective bargaining representative should be set aside because the employer committed a violation or otherwise interfered with a fair election, it shall issue an order requiring the employer to collectively bargain with the labor organization. The NLRB shall dismiss any petition to represent a unit if in an election a majority of the valid votes cast in an appropriate unit have not been cast in favor of representation by the labor organization. The NLRB shall promulgate regulations requiring each employer to post and maintain, in conspicuous places, a notice setting forth the rights and protections afforded employees under such Act. Each order of the NLRB shall take effect 30 days after notice of an NLRB order is given, unless the NLRB directs otherwise. The NLRB shall apply to the district court in which an unfair labor practice or other subject of the order occurred for the enforcement of an order if any person or entity fails or neglects to obey it.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
Pell Grant Restoration Act of 2015 This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to restore a student's Pell Grant eligibility for any period of time during which the student qualified for, or would have qualified for, federal student loan forgiveness due to school closure, assertion of a defense against repayment, or institutional fraud or misconduct. Specifically, this bill provides that Pell Grants received by a student during that period of time do not count toward the student's lifetime limit on Pell Grant eligibility (currently 12 full-time semesters).
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend public safety officers' death benefits to Transportation Security Administration employees who are responsible for protecting the nation's transportation systems.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
American Red Cross Sunshine Act This bill authorizes the Comptroller General to review the involvement of the American National Red Cross (the corporation) in any federal program or activity the corporation carries out (current law), including in connection with events for which the government provides leadership or support under the national preparedness system. For purposes of such review, the Comptroller General shall have: (1) access to and the right to examine and copy all corporation records the Comptroller General deems relevant, and (2) access to and the right to interview any corporation employee or volunteer the Comptroller General believes to have relevant knowledge. The Comptroller General may: (1) subpoena a record or employee of the corporation, and (2) bring a civil action in U.S. district court for the District of Columbia to enforce compliance with such subpoena. The corporation's Office of the Ombudsman must enhance dispute resolution regarding concerns raised by stakeholders regarding the corporation and regularly report to the corporation's board of governors information on trends and patterns on concerns communicated to the Office regarding the corporation. The Office must make information available on its website on how to submit concerns about the organization. The bill requires audits, every three years, by: (1) the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration of the corporation's revenues, expenditures, and governance; (2) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General of the corporation's disaster assistance services; and (3) the U.S. Agency for International Development Inspector General of the corporation's international activities. DHS must: (1) conduct a one-year pilot program with the corporation to develop mechanisms for DHS to better leverage social media to improve preparedness and response capabilities, and (2) annually report on the extent to which DHS partnered with the corporation in furtherance of preparedness and response capabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2015
Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require that the designation of the sensitivity level of national security positions be conducted in a consistent manner in all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components and offices, consistent with federal guidelines. DHS must use uniform designation tools throughout DHS and provide training to appropriate staff. The bill requires DHS: (1) by July 6, 2017, and every five years thereafter, to review all sensitivity level designations of national security positions at DHS; (2) if it determines that a change in the sensitivity level is warranted, to administratively adjust access and complete an appropriate level periodic reinvestigation; and (3) to report on such positions requiring access to classified information, no longer requiring access, or requiring a different level of access. DHS's Inspector General must conduct regular audits of DHS compliance with regulations regarding such designations. DHS must submit an annual report, through FY2021, on the denials, suspensions, revocations, and appeals of an individual's eligibility for access to classified information in DHS. DHS must: (1) develop a plan to achieve greater uniformity regarding the adjudication of eligibility of an individual for access to classified information that is consistent with the Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Access to Classified Information, and (2) ensure that all information received for such adjudication is consistent with such Guidelines and is protected against misappropriation. The plan shall consider the establishment of an internal appeals panel responsible for final national security clearance denial and revocation determinations.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2015
Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Strategy Act of 2015 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a cybersecurity strategy that includes: (1) strategic and operational goals and priorities to execute the full range of DHS's cybersecurity responsibilities; and (2) information on programs, policies, and activities in furtherance of the cybersecurity functions of the national cybersecurity and communications integration center (NCCIC), investigations capabilities, research and development, and engagement with international partners. The strategy must include the roles and responsibilities of DHS components and offices. Congressional authorization is required for any reorganization of such components or offices. For purposes of the NCCIC, the bill redefines "incident" to include occurrences that actually or imminently jeopardize, without lawful authority, an information system, thereby replacing a standard that currently includes a violation or imminent threat of violation of law, security policies, security procedures, or acceptable use policies.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2015
Commends the governments of East Africa that have made advances in improving the lives of people with albinism. Urges the U.S. government to work with the governments of East Africa and non-governmental organizations to address violence against people with albinism. Calls upon governments in East Africa to: (1) ensure the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment of people with albinism; (2) promote access to adequate health care, employment, education, and justice for individuals with albinism; and (3) take measures against human trafficking of people with albinism.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2015 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: revise and reauthorize grant programs for offender reentry demonstration projects; family-based substance abuse treatment; and evaluating and improving educational methods at prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities; and repeal grant programs for offender reentry courts and drug treatment alternatives to incarceration. Additionally, the legislation amends the Second Chance Act of 2007 to: rename, revise, and reauthorize grant programs for technology career training demonstration projects and reentry mentoring services, reauthorize offender reentry research and the grant program for offender reentry substance abuse and criminal justice collaboration, reauthorize and modify eligibility for an elderly offender early release pilot program, and repeal grant programs for the responsible reintegration of offenders and the study of Depot Naltrexone to treat heroin addiction. It amends the federal criminal code to establish partnerships between prisons and faith- or community-based nonprofit organizations to conduct activities to reduce recidivism. The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Inspector General must conduct annual audits of selected grant recipients to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds. The bill prohibits grants to nonprofit organizations that hold money in an offshore account to avoid tax liability. It also prohibits a grantee from using grant funds to lobby DOJ or a state, local, or tribal government regarding the award of grant funding. DOJ, in collaboration with interested persons, providers, and organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments, must coordinate and report to Congress on federal reentry programs, policies, and practices. The bill limits the use of grants for conferences that use more than $20,000 in DOJ funds.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Know the CBRN Terrorism Threats to Transportation Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security, acting through the Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis, to conduct a terrorism threat assessment of the transportation of chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials through U.S. land borders and within the United States. The Under Secretary shall disseminate such assessment to federal partners, including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Energy, and state and local partners, including the National Network of Fusion Centers.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to create a private civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation. Specifically, the bill authorizes a trade secret owner to file a civil action in a U.S. district court seeking relief for trade secret misappropriation related to a product or service in interstate or foreign commerce. It establishes remedies, such as an injunction and damages. The statute of limitation is set at five years from the date of discovery of the misappropriation. A trade secret owner may apply for and a court may grant a seizure order to prevent dissemination of the trade secret if the court makes specific findings, including that an immediate and irreparable injury will occur if seizure is not ordered. A court must take custody of the seized materials and hold a seizure hearing within seven days. Any party harmed by the order may move to dissolve or modify the order and may also seek relief against the applicant of the seizure order for wrongful or excessive seizure. The Department of Justice must submit to Congress and publish a biannual report on trade secret theft outside the United States. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) trade secret theft occurs in the United States and around the world, (2) trade secret theft harms owner companies and their employees, and (3) the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 applies broadly to protect trade secrets from theft.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Solitary Confinement Study and Reform Act of 2015 This bill establishes the National Solitary Confinement Study and Reform Commission to: (1) study the impact of solitary confinement in correctional facilities on governments, communities, and social institutions; (2) report findings; and (3) 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 · 29 July 2015
Federal Protective Service Improvement and Accountability Act of 2015 Directs the Federal Protective Service (FPS) to maintain not fewer than 1,870 full-time equivalent positions, with at least 1,350 of such positions designated for fully trained federal law enforcement officers. Authorizes positions in the FPS inspector force to be designated as: (1) Federal Facility Security Officers responsible for performing security assessments at facilities protected by FPS, making security countermeasure recommendations for such facilities, participating in security training and disseminating homeland security information to occupants and security guards of such facilities, and assessing the security of such facilities and the extent to which security countermeasure recommendations have been implemented; or (2) law enforcement officers responsible for patrolling and on-site monitoring of the physical security of FPS-protected facilities, conducting investigations at such facilities, and providing physical law enforcement at such facilities in the event of a terrorist attack, security incident, or other incident. Directs FPS to: (1) establish the FPS contract oversight force responsible for overseeing contract guards, (2) establish uniform minimum training and certification standards for security guard services at FPS-protected facilities, (3) establish a process to verify the accuracy of training and certification data maintained by FPS, and (4) provide training to individuals in guard positions who have not successfully completed training on the effective utilization of screening equipment and active shooter scenario-based training. Directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) develop and implement a strategy for using covert-testing data and data on prohibited items to improve screening at facilities protected by FPS, and (2) submit an assessment of the degree to which the standards specified in the "The Risk Management Process: An Interagency Security Committee Standard" are utilized by all non-military federal facilities and of any barriers to utilizing such standards. Requires FPS to: (1) commence a one-year pilot program to research the advantages of converting guard positions at the highest-risk federal facilities protected by FPS from contract guard positions to positions held by federal employees; and (2) establish, and hire individuals for, a federal facility security guard position.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Flight School Security Act of 2015 Revises requirements with respect to the training of aliens and other individuals designated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security in the operation of certain aircraft. Authorizes a flight instructor, pilot school, or aviation training center to provide training in the operation of an aircraft with a takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds to an individual who does not hold a valid Federal Aviation Administration airman's certification only if: (1) that individual has been checked against the terrorist watchlist by the TSA to determine if he or she poses a threat to aviation or national security or a threat of terrorism, and (2) the TSA determines that the individual does not pose a threat that warrants denial of access to such training.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Aviation Screening Contractor Reform and Accountability Act This bill prohibits subsidiaries of foreign-owned companies from performing security screening at commercial airports and establishes additional requirements for private screening companies. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) must not: contract with private screening companies that are U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies or have compromised covert security testing, permit the screening to be performed by a subcontractor, or provide funding to any company that provides screening services at an airport in excess of the required amount. Private screening companies must: provide the right of first refusal to federal or private sector employees who are performing screening at an airport when a contract is awarded; and report to the TSA regarding security breaches, retention rates of employees, adverse employment actions, and customer complaints. The TSA must use Government Accountability Office (GAO) guidance to compare the costs of overseeing private companies with using federal employees for screening, enhance monitoring of the performance of private screening companies, and require companies to train employees on handling sensitive information. Each airport must notify passengers if screening is conducted by a contractor and provide contact information for reporting complaints. The GAO must conduct annual covert testing of airports that use private screening companies. The TSA must establish a process for confidentially reporting deficiencies, waste, or vulnerabilities with respect to private screening services. The companies must not retaliate against individuals who report this information, refuse to engage in illegal activities, or testify during government proceedings.
![Official portrait of Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000193_200.jpg)