United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Saudi Educational Transparency and Reform Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress annually on educational materials published by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education, which are used both inside and outside Saudi Arabia. The report shall detail whether such educational materials include content that could be seen as encouraging violence and intolerance toward religious groups, including Muslims who hold dissenting views. The report shall also discuss related subjects, including the extent such materials are exported and efforts by the Saudi government to remove the intolerant content. The State Department shall issue such reports for 10 years, unless the State Department determines that the intolerant content has been completely removed. If such content is still included in Saudi Arabia's educational materials after 10 years, the State Department shall continue reporting to Congress for another 5 years.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act This bill updates the Department of Defense's Survivor Benefit Plan and how it operates in relation to other benefits. The plan currently provides a monthly annuity (based on a percentage of a service member's retirement pay) to an eligible beneficiary upon the death of the service member. Currently, if a surviving spouse is also entitled to dependency and indemnity compensation, the annuity paid under the plan will be reduced. The bill repeals certain provisions that require the offset of the plan annuity from amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation. Under current law, upon the request of the surviving spouse, the military branch concerned is authorized to pay an annuity to the member's dependent children instead of to the surviving spouse. The bill restores the annuity to an eligible spouse who previously elected to transfer payment to a dependent child.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Preventing Destabilization of Iraq Act of 2019 This bill directs the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons that use violence to threaten peace and stability in Iraq or to undermine the country's democratic processes and economic reconstruction. The sanctions include blocking property transactions involving such a sanctioned individual and blocking such a person's entry into the United States. Any current visas belonging to a sanctioned individual shall be revoked. The Department of State shall report to Congress whether certain groups, including Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat Hizballah al-Nujaba, qualify as foreign terrorist organizations and whether such groups and individuals affiliated with such groups should be subject to various sanctions. The State Department shall also report to Congress whether certain individuals, including Qais al-Khazali and Laith al-Khazali, would be subject to the sanctions prescribed in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Disability Integration Act of 2019 This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. The bill requires the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue regulations requiring government entities and insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. Government entities must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Regulations shall also (1) require government entities and insurance providers to perform self-evaluation on current services, policies, and practices and concerning compliance with requirements of this bill; and (2) require government entities to submit a transition plan. HHS must determine annually whether each government entity is complying with the transition plan and must increase funding for those in compliance. The bill allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of its requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act This bill expands eligibility for a presumption of service-connection for veterans exposed to certain herbicide agents (e.g., Agent Orange) during military service in Vietnam. Specifically, the bill removes the manifestation period required for the presumption of service-connection for chloracne and porphyria cutanea tarda. Additionally, the bill provides statutory authority for a presumption of service-connection for certain cases of acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy without a manifestation period. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2019
Keep Families Together Act This bill limits the separation of families at or near U.S borders or ports of entry and imposes limits on the prosecution of asylum seekers. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall not separate a child from a legal guardian at a port of entry or within 100 miles of a U.S. border unless a state court terminates the legal guardian's rights; a state child welfare agency or court determines it is in the child's best interests to be removed; or the child is determined to be a trafficking victim or at risk of becoming one, the accompanying adult is most likely not the legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. Such separation shall end unless a licensed independent child welfare expert authorizes the separation within 48 hours. DHS, DOJ, or HHS may not separate a child from a legal guardian solely to deter migration into the United States or to promote compliance with immigration laws. DHS shall develop (1) training related to the bill's family separation requirements, and (2) guidance for how legal guardians may locate a separated child. HHS shall provide legal guardians weekly status updates about a separated child. An asylum seeker who has expressed a credible or reasonable fear of persecution may not be prosecuted for certain immigration law violations until the asylum application has been finally adjudicated.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2019
Cambodia Democracy Act of 2019 This bill directs the President to impose sanctions on individuals responsible for acts to undermine democracy in Cambodia, including acts that constituted serious human rights violations. The sanctions shall be directed at senior Cambodian government, military, or security forces officials responsible for such actions, as well as entities controlled or owned by such individuals. The sanctions shall include blocking assets and restricting the entry of sanctioned individuals into the United States. The President may waive the sanctions with respect to a person or entity if it is in the national interest of the United States. The President may suspend the sanctions if Cambodia makes meaningful progress toward ending government efforts to undermine democracy or committing human rights violations.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2019
Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act This bill expands the categories of individuals who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm, particularly with respect to individuals who have been convicted of stalking or who are subject to certain restraining orders involving an intimate partner.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2019
State And Local Tax Deduction Fairness Act of 2019 This bill repeals the limitation on individual tax deductions for certain state and local taxes. (For tax years 2018-2025, the deduction for certain state and local taxes is currently limited to $10,000 per year for individuals or $5,000 for married individuals filing a separate return.)
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2019
Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1 silver coins in commemoration of Christa McAuliffe, a teacher tragically killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. The design of the coins shall bear an image and the name of Christa McAuliffe on the obverse side and a design on the reverse side that depicts the legacy of McAuliffe as a teacher. Treasury may issue the coins from January 1-December 31, 2020. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of the coins shall be paid to the FIRST robotics program for the purpose of engaging and inspiring young people, through mentor-based programs, to become leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
National Gun Violence Research Act This bill amends various provisions of law and sets forth new provisions to promote gun violence research. Among other things, the bill does the following: removes limitations on the use of firearms tracing data by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; permits funds made available to the Department of Health and Human Services to be used for gun violence research; establishes the National Gun Violence Research Program to promote gun violence research; and authorizes various competitive grants to support research into the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of gun violence.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
Homeland Security Assessment of Terrorists' Use of Virtual Currencies Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis to assess the threat posed by individuals using virtual currencies to support terrorism. The assessment shall be shared with state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act This bill addresses the importation of drugs from Canada and other foreign countries. The bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to promulgate regulations within 180 days permitting wholesalers, pharmacies, and individuals to import certain prescription drugs from Canada. After two years, The FDA, may permit the importation of prescription drugs from other countries. The bill establishes a process for certifying foreign sellers—a licensed foreign pharmacy or foreign wholesale distributor.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2019
Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act This bill establishes the Pension Rehabilitation Administration within the Department of the Treasury and a related trust fund to make loans to certain multiemployer defined benefit pension plans. To receive a loan, a plan must be either in critical and declining status (including any plan with respect to which a suspension of benefits has been approved) or insolvent, if the plan became insolvent after December 16, 2014, and has not been terminated. Treasury must issue bonds to fund the loan program and transfer amounts equal to the proceeds to the trust fund established by this bill. The Pension Rehabilitation Administration may use the funds, without a further appropriation, to make loans, pay principal and interest on the bonds, or for administrative and operating expenses. The bill allows the sponsor of a multiemployer pension plan that is applying for a loan under this bill to also apply to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) for financial assistance if, after receiving the loan, the plan will still become (or remain) insolvent within the 30-year period beginning on the date of the loan. The bill also appropriates to the PBGC the funds that are necessary to provide the financial assistance required by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2019
Iranian Proxies Terrorist Sanctions Act of 2019 This bill directs the President to impose sanctions on As-Saib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat Hizballah al-Nujaba, two Iraqi paramilitary groups affiliated with Iran. The sanctions relate to blocking property and transactions and also apply to foreign individuals serving as the groups' officials, agents, and affiliates. The President shall submit detailed explanations as to whether sanctions should be imposed on various individuals identified in the bill. The Department of State shall annually publish a list of groups that receive logistical, military, or financial support from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or under the IRGC's influence.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2019
Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act This bill extends public safety officers' death benefits to Transportation Security Administration employees performing official duties related to protecting the nation's transportation systems.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2019
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should ensure that the U.S. Postal Service is not privatized and remains an independent establishment of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation 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.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 This bill addresses certain health benefit and home loan programs for veterans. Specifically, the bill extends the presumption of service-connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide (e.g., Agent Orange) exposure to veterans who served (1) offshore of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or (2) in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities or diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. The bill extends eligibility for health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary allowance to children with spina bifida who have at least one veteran parent who may have been exposed to an herbicide agent while serving in Thailand between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Additionally, the bill revises the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan guaranty program to adjust loan fee rates and eliminate the limit on the amount of a loan for which the VA may provide a guaranty of 25%. Under current law, these loan guarantees are subject to a limit on loan size determined by Freddie Mac. The bill also waives loan fees for active duty Purple Heart recipients. The VA shall permit a VA-approved appraiser to make a housing loan appraisal based solely on information gathered by a person with whom the appraiser has entered into an agreement for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
End Banking for Human Traffickers Act of 2019 This bill establishes requirements related to the use of financial transactions in human trafficking. The bill adds the Secretary of the Treasury as a member of the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking. The task force must submit to Congress recommendations for the revision of anti-money laundering programs specifically targeting severe forms of human trafficking. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council must review procedures to improve the capability of specified programs to target financial transactions relating to severe forms of human trafficking. The Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence must coordinate with other specified agencies to combat the illicit financing relating to severe forms of human trafficking. The bill provides additional criteria to be considered by the State Department to indicate a country's serious and sustained efforts to eliminate human trafficking. Specifically, the bill adds criteria regarding whether a country has taken or is taking steps to implement a framework for preventing financial transactions involving severe forms of human trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
West Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from issuing a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
California Clean Coast Act of 2019 This bill prohibits oil and gas exploration and leasing in areas of the outer Continental Shelf located off the coast of California.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
This bill directs the Department of State to include additional information in its annual reports concerning Taiwan's participation at the World Health Organization's World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer. The report shall describe changes and improvements to the State Department's plan to support Taiwan's observer status at the WHA, following any meetings at which Taiwan did not participate under such status. (China has opposed Taiwan's participation, based on its position that Taiwan is part of China and not a separate country.)
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Hack Your State Department Act This bill requires the Department of State to design, establish, and make publicly known a Vulnerability Disclosure Process to improve cybersecurity. In establishing the process, the State Department must identify which information technology should be included, determine whether the process should differentiate among and specify the types of security vulnerabilities that may be targeted, and provide a readily available form and means of reporting, amongst other requirements. The bill requires the State Department to establish a bug bounty pilot program, where an approved individual, organization, or company is temporarily authorized to identify and report vulnerabilities of internet-facing information technology of the State Department in exchange for compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 This bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. The prohibition does not apply to certain firearm transfers, such as a gift between spouses in good faith.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act This bill establishes the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism as an ambassador-rank official, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who leads the Office to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism within the Department of State. (Under current law, the special envoy is appointed by the Secretary of State.) The President may nominate the special envoy from among State Department officers and employees. The special envoy shall be the primary advisor in the government relating to monitoring and combating anti-Semitism in foreign countries. The individual shall be of recognized distinction in religious freedom, law enforcement, or combating anti-Semitism.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Ban Toxic Pesticides Act of 2019 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cancel the registration of the pesticide chlorpyrifos under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The bill prohibits the sale and use of existing stock of chlorpyrifos. The bill requires the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos residue on food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Guam Supplemental Security Income Equality Act This bill extends the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to Guam. (When Congress created the SSI program in 1972, it excluded Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.) The Social Security Administration may waive or modify statutory requirements relating to the provision of benefits as necessary to adapt the program to Guam.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Act This bill directs the Department of State to develop a strategy to enhance economic cooperation and expand professional and educational exchange programs between the United States and Mexico. The State Department shall develop strategies to encourage more academic exchanges between the countries, as well as exchanges to encourage strengthening business skills and entrepreneurship. The State Department shall also promote energy infrastructure coordination and educational development, particularly in the region near the Eagle Ford Shale. It shall also assess ways to develop partnerships between the countries' medical and nursing schools. The plan should ensure that accreditation standards for such schools are comparable so that students in Mexico can pass the licensing exams needed to practice in the United States. These programs shall be focused on the region within 100 kilometers of the U.S.-Mexico border.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
FHA Alternative Credit Pilot Program Reauthorization Act This bill reauthorizes a pilot program for an alternative credit rating system for use by mortgage lenders. Specifically, the program provides credit information about borrowers who have insufficient credit histories for purposes of determining their creditworthiness for mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
This resolution expresses concern about the capture and detention of journalist Austin Tice near Damascus, Syria. It encourages the Department of State, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and other U.S. government entities to engage with Syria to facilitate Tice's safe release.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for admission into the United States of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The state shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. The bill applies current District of Columbia laws to the state and continues pending judicial proceedings. The state (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. The bill maintains (1) the District as the seat of the federal government, and (2) the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property. The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, an interagency program launched in 2005 to partner with countries in the Sahel and Maghreb regions of Africa to counter terrorism and violent extremism. The Department of State, in consultation with the Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development, shall establish the partnership, which must coordinate all U.S. programs in North and West Africa related to various counterterrorism activities, such as building foreign-military capacity, enhancing border security, promoting youth employment, and supporting independent media to counter terrorist propaganda. The State Department shall notify Congress before obligating funds for such programs, and must submit annual reports about program activities.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Emmett Till Antilynching Act 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 · 3 January 2019
Homeless Veteran Families Act This bill updates the Department of Veterans Affairs per diem payment calculation for entities furnishing services to homeless veterans to include funding for a minor dependent. The rate for per diem payments is the daily cost of care as estimated by the grant recipient or eligible entity. This bill would expand the per diem payment amount for a homeless veteran who has care of a minor dependent to the daily cost of care plus, for each minor dependent, an amount that equals 50% of such daily cost of care.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
North American Development Bank Improvement Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury to provide a capital increase for the North American Development Bank, a financial institution the United States and Mexico created to develop infrastructure that protect the environment along their shared border. Treasury may subscribe to and purchase 150,000 shares of the bank's capital stock, to the extent that funds are appropriated for such a purpose. Treasury shall support projects related to water pollution and conservation, waste treatment, natural gas and energy security, expanding land border crossings, and reducing pollution related to such traffic. It shall also support developing various performance measures at the bank and report to Congress about its progress imposing such measures.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019 This bill addresses sexual harassment in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields by supporting sexual harassment research and efforts to prevent and respond to sexual harassment. This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or their consortia) to expand research into sexual harassment in the STEM workforce, including students and trainees; and examine interventions for reducing the incidence and negative consequences of such harassment. The NSF must convene a working group composed of representatives of federal statistical agencies to develop questions on sexual harassment in STEM departments in order to gather national data on the prevalence, nature, and implications of such harassment in institutions of higher education. The NSF shall enter into agreements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to (1) update a responsible conduct guide issued by the National Academies, and (2) study the influence of sexual harassment in institutions of higher education on the career advancement of individuals in the STEM workforce. The National Science and Technology Council shall establish an interagency working group to coordinate the federal science agencies' efforts to reduce the prevalence of sexual harassment involving grant personnel. The Office of Science and Technology Policy must develop a uniform set of policy guidelines for such agencies to prevent and respond to reports of sexual harassment.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Rescuing Animals With Rewards Act of 2019 or the RAWR Act This bill modifies the Department of State rewards program to authorize rewards to individuals who furnish information that assists in the prevention or identification of crimes related to wildlife trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans. The commission shall examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. Among other requirements, the commission shall identify (1) the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, (2) forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and (3) lingering negative effects of slavery on living African-Americans and society.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 This bill establishes additional sanctions and financial restrictions on institutions and individuals related to the conflict in Syria. The Department of the Treasury shall determine whether the Central Bank of Syria is a financial institution of primary money laundering concern and, if so, impose one or more special measures, such as requiring domestic financial institutions to maintain additional records on transactions involving the bank. The President shall impose sanctions on foreign persons that provide significant support to or engage in a significant transaction with the Syrian government or the military forces or contractors acting on behalf of Syria, Russia, or Iran. The bill also imposes sanctions on those that knowingly sell or provide significant goods, services, technology, or information that facilitates or expands the Syrian government's domestic petroleum production; aircraft, parts, or related services used by military forces related to the Syrian government; or construction or engineering services to the Syrian government. The sanctions include blocking of financial and property transactions and barring of entry into the United States. Such sanctions shall not apply to various nongovernmental organizations and activities related to providing humanitarian aid or supporting democratic institutions in Syria. The President may suspend some or all of the sanctions under certain conditions, including if it is in the United States' national security interests.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
For the People Act of 2019 This bill addresses voter access, election integrity, election security, political spending, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration and voting access, makes Election Day a federal holiday, and limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill provides for states to establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions. The bill also sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, protecting the security of the voter rolls, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect the security and integrity of U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. This bill addresses campaign spending, including by expanding the ban on foreign nationals contributing to or spending on elections; expanding disclosure rules pertaining to organizations spending money during elections, campaign advertisements, and online platforms; and revising disclaimer requirements for political advertising. This bill establishes an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The system involves federal matching of small contributions for qualified candidates. This bill sets forth provisions related to ethics in all three branches of government. Specifically, the bill requires a code of ethics for federal judges and justices, prohibits Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, expands enforcement of regulations governing foreign agents, and establishes additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill also requires candidates for President and Vice President to submit 10 years of tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
This resolution impeaches President Donald John Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors. The resolution sets forth an article of impeachment stating that President Trump prevented, obstructed, and impeded the administration of justice during a federal investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act of 2019 or the CARERS Act of 2019 This bill removes restrictions on, and creates new protections for, conduct and activities related to medical marijuana that are authorized by state law. Among other things, the bill does the following: eliminates regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act for producing, possessing, distributing, dispensing, administering, testing, recommending, or delivering medical marijuana in compliance with state law; establishes a new, separate registration process to facilitate medical marijuana research; and authorizes health care providers employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to make recommendations to veterans regarding participation in state marijuana programs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Social Security Fairness Act of 2019 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government job. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security survivors' benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receives government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Protecting Diplomats from Surveillance Through Consumer Devices Act This bill directs the Department of State to establish a policy regarding the use of location-tracking consumer devices by employees at diplomatic and consular facilities, and report the details of the policy to Congress. The policy shall cover U.S. government staff, contractors, locally employed staff, and members of other agencies deployed at the facilities. The State Department shall give security briefings to inform new and existing employees of the policy.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act This bill sets forth requirements and limitations with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel appointed by the Attorney General, or of another official appointed by the Attorney General who exercises a similar degree of independence from the Department of Justice (DOJ) chain of command. Specifically, a special counsel or other appointed official may only be removed by the Attorney General or the most senior Senate-confirmed DOJ official, in certain circumstances; may only be removed for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or other good cause; must be provided written notice that specifies the reason for removal; and may file an action to challenge the removal not later than 10 days after notice was provided.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to states that do the following: (1) require law enforcement officers to be trained on diversity and sensitivity, and (2) require an independent prosecutor to be appointed to investigate and prosecute an alleged offense involving the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer that results in a death or injury.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act of 2019 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), the Social Security Act (SSAct), and other federal laws to replace (1) references to "wife" or "husband" with references to "spouse"; and (2) references to "husband and wife" or "husband or wife" with references to "married couple" or " married person." For purposes of federal laws or regulations, "marriage" is defined as a legal union between two people as spouses. The bill eliminates a definition of "spouse" that refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. Requirements concerning compensation to a surviving wife after the disability or death of a person employed at a military, air, or naval base outside the United States are revised to make surviving spouses eligible for such compensation. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, provisions concerning the amount of leave available to a husband and wife employed by the same employer are revised to apply to a married couple employed by the same employer. Requirements under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 that make disability and death benefits payable to the wife or widow of a miner are revised to make the benefits payable to the spouse or surviving spouse of a miner. IRC provisions that require a divorced wife's gross income to include the income of any trust she is entitled to receive that would otherwise be includible in the gross income of her husband, or vice versa, are revised to apply to the gross income of individuals who are divorced from their spouse. The bill revises title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the SSAct to consolidate separate provisions for a wife's insurance benefits and a husband's insurance benefits into a single standard for a spouse's insurance benefits. Criminal penalties that currently apply to persons who threaten to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon a former President's wife or widow are revised to apply to threats made to a former President's spouse or surviving spouse.
![Official portrait of Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000344_200.jpg)