United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) it is in the U.S. national interest to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad; (2) there is a need to ensure the security of European Jewish communities, including synagogues, schools, and cemeteries; and (3) the United States should continue to emphasize the importance of combating anti-Semitism in multilateral bodies. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 is amended to require the Department of State's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom to include, for each European country in which threats or attacks against Jewish persons, schools, and religious institutions are particularly significant, a description of: the security challenges and needs of European Jewish communities and European law enforcement agencies; U.S. efforts to partner with European law enforcement agencies and civil society groups to combat anti-Semitic incidents; educational programming and public awareness initiatives that impart values of pluralism and tolerance, showcase the positive contributions of Jews, and pay special attention to population segments that exhibit a high degree of anti-Semitic animus; and efforts by European governments to adopt and apply a working definition of anti-Semitism.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Expresses the sense of Congress that: a sustainable peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians will come only through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties; any widespread international recognition of a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood outside of the context of such a peace agreement would cause severe harm to the peace process and would likely trigger the implementation of penalties under provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 regarding limitations on assistance to support a Palestinian state and uses of funds for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza; efforts by outside bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, to impose an agreement are likely to set back the cause of peace; the U.S. government should continue to oppose and veto Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel; and the U.S. government should continue to support and facilitate the resumption of negotiations without preconditions toward a sustainable peace agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 560 East Pleasant Valley Road, Port Hueneme, California, as the "U.S. Naval Construction Battalion 'Seabees' Fallen Heroes Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Condemns the government of Iran for the 1988 massacre of political prisoners and for denying the evidence of crimes against humanity. Urges: (1) the Administration and U.S. allies to condemn the massacre and pressure the Iranian government to provide detailed information to the victims' families about their loved ones and their final resting places; and (2) the United Nations (U.N.) Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran and the U.N. Human Rights Council to create a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the massacre, gather evidence, identify the perpetrators, and bring them to justice.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Taiwan Travel Act This bill states that it should be U.S. policy to permit: (1) high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense; and (2) the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct official business in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Coptic Churches Accountability Act This bill directs the Department of State, until 2021, to submit an annual report describing: the progress made in restoring or repairing Christian religious property and property owned by Christians in Egypt that was damaged or destroyed during the August 2013 sectarian violence; implementation of the law Egypt passed in 2016 that imposes significant burdens on church building; and the nature and extent of Egyptian laws and policies regarding the construction of Christian churches or places of worship. The State Department shall ensure that each country report on human rights practices for Egypt and each report on international religious freedom contains: a summary of the progress made in restoring religious property; and a list of each Christian church, place of worship, or other Christian religious property and each item of property belonging to a Christian church that was damaged or destroyed.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 830 Kuhn Drive in Chula Vista, California, as the "Jonathan 'J.D.' De Guzman Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Eliminate So-Called Right-to-Work Legislation Nationwide Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to repeal the disclaimer that nothing in the law shall be construed as authorizing the execution or application of agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment in any state or territory in which such execution or application is prohibited by state or territorial law. (The bill preempts contrary state or territorial law to allow the execution or application of agreements requiring union membership.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2016 This bill declares that it is U.S. policy that all diplomatic and coercive economic means should be used to compel the government of Bashir al-Assad to halt the slaughter of the Syrian people and actively work toward transition to a democratic government. This bill directs the President to impose specified entry and U.S.-based property sanctions against a foreign person that knowingly provides significant financial, material, or technological support: (1) to the government of Syria and the Central Bank of Syria, including Syria's intelligence and security services or its armed forces, including through money laundering or with respect to Syria's gas or petroleum production or civilian aircraft services; and (2) that materially contributes to Syria's ability to acquire or develop ballistic missiles, chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, or destabilizing numbers and types of advanced conventional weapons. The Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012 is amended to direct the President to impose entry and U.S.-based property sanctions against persons responsible for or complicit in: (1) directing the commission of serious human rights abuses against citizens of Syria or their family members, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Syria; or (2) transferring to Syria certain military items or goods or technologies that may be used to commit human rights abuses. The Department of State and the Agency for International Development shall report on the monitoring and evaluation of ongoing assistance programs in Syria and to the Syrian people. The bill requires the President to: (1) submit an updated list of Syrian officials who are responsible for or complicit in the commission of serious human rights abuses against Syrian citizens, and (2) assess the potential effectiveness of a no-fly zone over Syria. The State Department shall provide assistance to entities taking criminal and evidence gathering actions for prosection of individuals who have committed crimes against humanity or war crimes in Syria since March 2011. The President may suspend sanctions against Syria under specified conditions. The bill: (1) expresses the sense of Congress with respect to a transitional government in Syria, and (2) sets forth activities and transactions that are exempt from sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2016
This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from authorizing U.S. financial institution transactions incident to the export or re-export of commercial passenger aircraft to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2016
No Ex-Im Assistance for Terrorism Act This bill amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to prohibit the Export-Import Bank from guaranteeing, insuring, extending credit, or participating in the extension of credit in connection with the export of U.S. goods or services sought by: the Government of Iran, an entity owned or controlled by it, or an entity created under Iranian law; an entity involving the Government of Iran, owned or controlled by the Government of Iran, or created under Iranian law; or a non-U.S. entity that, in the last five-years, has leased or re-exported aircraft to the Government of Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Honors the life, work, and legacy of Elie Wiesel. Extends the deepest sympathies of the House of Representatives to the members of Wiesel's family. Reaffirms Wiesel's efforts to preserve the memory of those who perished and prevent the recurrence of another Holocaust, to combat hate and intolerance, and to never forget and also learn from the lessons of history.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of State, with respect to covered countries, to annually include within either the relevant Annual Country Report on Human Rights, the International Religious Freedom Report, or other appropriate report an assessment of the nature and extent of national laws or enforceable policies regarding the identification, return, or restitution of wrongfully seized or transferred Holocaust era assets and compliance with the goals of the Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets and Related Issues, including: the return to the rightful owner of wrongfully seized or transferred property, including religious or communal property, or the provision of comparable substitute property or the payment of equitable compensation to the rightful owner; the use of the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art and the Terezin Declaration in settling claims involving publicly and privately held movable property; the restitution of heirless property to assist needy Holocaust survivors; and progress on the resolution of claims for U.S. citizen Holocaust survivors and family members. "Covered countries" means signatories to the Terezin Declaration that are determined by the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues to be countries of particular concern with respect to such restitution.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2016
Calls on the government of Iran to release Siamak and Baquer Namazi unconditionally. Urges the President, U.S. allies, and the United Nations to raise the cases of Siamak and Baquer Namazi with Iranian officials at every opportunity and undertake efforts to secure their immediate release. Encourages the President to utilize appropriate measures against such government if they are not released.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2016
This bill revises the authority of the Department of the Treasury to issue an order imposing recordkeeping and reporting requirements upon financial institutions and nonfinancial trade or business groups in certain geographic areas regarding transactions for the payment, receipt, or transfer of U.S. coins or currency (or other monetary instruments as Treasury may describe in an order). A Treasury order for recordkeeping and reporting may include all funds (not just U.S. coins or currency) involved in such transactions.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2016
National Strategy for Combating Terrorist, Underground, and Other Illicit Financing Act This bill directs the President, acting through the Department of the Treasury, to develop a national strategy for combating the financing of terrorism and related forms of illicit finance. The national strategy shall focus upon selected aspects, including: (1) threats, goals, objectives, and priorities; (2) coordination with domestic and international governmental entities; (3) the role of the private financial sector in prevention of illicit finance; (4) project and budget priorities; (5) the use and role of Treasury attaches; (6) illicit finance and cyber crime; and (7) technology.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2016
Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Rewards Act This bill establishes in the Department of the Treasury a Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Rewards Program for the payment of rewards to support U.S. government programs and investigations aimed at eliminating from accounts at U.S. financial institutions any stolen assets linked to foreign government corruption and the proceeds of such corruption. Treasury may pay a reward to any individual who furnishes information leading to the restraining, seizure, forfeiture, or repatriation of stolen assets in an account at a U.S. financial institution, that come within the United States, or that come within the possession or control of any U.S. person linked to foreign government corruption. U.S. or foreign government employees are not eligible for such a reward. Treasury shall: (1) establish procedures for the offering, administration, and payment of such rewards in order to ensure that the payment of rewards pursuant to this bill does not duplicate or interfere with any other payment authorized by the Department of Justice (DOJ) or other federal law enforcement agencies for the obtaining of information or other evidence; and (2) obtain the written concurrence of DOJ before making such a reward under this bill in a matter over which there is federal criminal jurisdiction. Such rewards shall be paid from the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. The total amount of rewards paid may not exceed $25 million in any calendar year. The President may waive such limitation after providing prior notice to Congress. No single reward may exceed $5 million, except as Treasury determines necessary in exceptional cases. Treasury may reduce or deny awards to individuals claiming awards who were involved in actions leading to the misappropriation or diversion of stolen assets or other foreign government corruption. Treasury shall: (1) report annually regarding stolen assets, and (2) report describing policy choices for the disposition of recovered stolen assets.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2016
State Sponsors of Terrorism Review Enhancement Act This bill amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the Arms Export Control Act, and the Export Administration Act of 1979, with respect to the rescission of a determination of a country as a state sponsor of terrorism, to require that the President has submitted to Congress a report justifying such rescission 90 days (currently 45 days) prior to the rescission taking effect, which certifies that the government concerned has not provided support for international terrorism during the preceding 24 months (currently 6 months). No such rescission under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or the Export Administration Act of 1979 may be made if Congress, within 90 days after receipt of such a presidential report, enacts a joint resolution pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act prohibiting such rescission.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2016
Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act This bill adjusts the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California as depicted on a specified map to include the Rim of the Valley Unit. The Rim of the Valley Unit, and any lands or interests acquired by the United States and located within its boundaries, shall be administered as part of the Recreation Area. The Department of the Interior may acquire only through exchange, donation, or purchase from a willing seller any nonfederal land within the boundaries of the Rim of the Valley Unit. Nothing in this bill authorizes the use of eminent domain to acquire lands or interests.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
PHMSA Accountability Act This bill allows a private person to bring a civil action for a writ of mandamus in an appropriate U.S. district court to compel the Department of Transportation to perform a nondiscretionary duty under federal pipeline safety provisions that it has failed to perform.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
U.S.-China Nuclear Cooperation and Nonproliferation Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to notify Congress within five days after receiving an application to transfer nuclear technology to China. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 is amended to require: DOE authorization for the transfer of any U.S.-origin technology that may be used to develop or produce special nuclear material, regardless of the nationality of the technology's ownership or its location outside the United States; and DOE to define items covered by U.S.-origin technology. A request for authorization to transfer U.S.-origin technology from China, or with the significant participation of Chinese persons not located in the United States, to a country other than the United States or China, shall be denied unless the applicant demonstrates: significant participation by U.S. persons in the transfer, significant U.S. content involved in the transfer in the case of nuclear reactors and components, and timely and adequate reimbursement for grants or loans provided by the U.S. government to entities involved in the technology's development. The bill states that it is U.S. policy to: oppose China's provision of assistance in the construction of any additional nuclear reactors in Pakistan, and assist Pakistan in acquiring and developing sufficient electrical power through means other than nuclear power. The President shall determine if China has: violated the U.S.-China Nuclear Cooperation Agreement; re-transferred U.S. nuclear items without U.S. permission; stolen or diverted U.S. nuclear items to military use; failed to prevent transfer of proliferation-sensitive items pursuant to the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act; or failed to enforce sanctions against North Korea. The President shall, upon such a determination, submit a corrective action plan within 60 days to address such activity and mitigate any U.S. security damage. Additionally, the President may at any time impose any lawful measures to address such activity, including the suspension of cooperation with China under the agreement. It is the sense of Congress that the United States should encourage countries in East Asia to forgo new spent fuel reprocessing activities. The President shall not agree to the reprocessing, recycling, or other alteration of nuclear material at any individual facility to which International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards are not applied unless, for each proposed facility at which such activity will take place, the President certifies that the nuclear material will be adequately safeguarded and available for inspection.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Condemns the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China, because it: (1) is a spectacle of extreme animal cruelty, (2) is a commercial activity not grounded in Chinese history, (3) is opposed by a majority of the Chinese people, and (4) threatens global public health. Urges: the government of China and the Yulin authorities to ban the killing and eating of dogs as part of Yulin's festival and to enforce China's food safety laws regulating the processing and sale of animal products and the 2011 Agriculture Ministry of China Regulation on the Quarantine of Dogs at the Place of Origin requiring one certificate for one dog on trans-provincial transport trucks, and the National People's Congress of China to enact an animal anticruelty law that bans the dog meat trade. Affirms the commitment of the United States to the protection of animals and to the progress of animal protection.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Expresses appreciation to the European Union (EU) for the progress made in countering Hizballah since the EU designated Hizballah's military wing as a terrorist organization. Supports cooperation between the United States and the EU in thwarting Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities. Urges the EU to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization and increase pressure on the group, including through: better cross-border cooperation among EU members, issuing arrest warrants against Hizballah members and active supporters, freezing Hizballah's assets in Europe, and prohibiting fund raising activities in support of Hizballah.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2016
Recognizes and honors the 40th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris and the impact of the California victory at the 1976 Paris Tasting on the world of wine and the U.S. wine industry. (At the 1976 Paris Tasting, French wine experts were invited to blind taste wines from California and France.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
Reaffirms: that Israel is a major U.S. strategic partner, that it is U.S. policy and law to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge and self-defense capacity, and support of an Israeli tiered missile defense program. Urges finalization of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel. Supports a long-term Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel that increases the amount of aid from previous agreements and enhances Israel's military capabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Reaffirms the U.S. commitment to promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Cambodia. Condemns political violence in Cambodia and urges cessation of human rights violations. Calls on the government of Cambodia to respect freedom of the press and the rights of its citizens to freely assemble and protest against the government. Supports electoral reform efforts in Cambodia and free and fair elections in 2018. Urges Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party to: (1) end harassment of Cambodia's opposition, (2) drop politically motivated charges against opposition lawmakers and allow them to return and freely participate in the political process, and (3) foster a democratic environment.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
North Korea State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that North Korea meets the criteria for, and should be designated as, a state sponsor of terrorism. The President shall submit to Congress a report that finds, with respect to each of 22 acts specified by this bill, whether: (1) North Korea or any of its agents or instrumentalities committed, conspired to commit, attempted, or abetted such act; and (2) such act constitutes support for international terrorism. If the President finds that North Korea or its agents or instrumentalities committed any of such acts, the Department of State shall submit to Congress: (1) a determination that North Korea is a state sponsor of terrorism, or (2) a detailed justification as to why the conduct does not meet the legal criteria for such a determination.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Freedom of Religion Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien may not be denied admission to the United States because of his or her religion or lack of religious beliefs.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2016
Breast Cancer Patient Protect Act of 2016 This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group or individual health plan that provides medical and surgical benefits to ensure that inpatient (and in the case of a lumpectomy, outpatient) coverage and radiation therapy are provided for breast cancer treatment. Such a plan may not: (1) restrict benefits for any medically necessary hospital stay to less than 48 hours for a mastectomy or breast conserving surgery or less than 24 hours for a lymph node dissection, or (2) require that a provider obtain authorization from the plan for prescribing any such hospital stay. Such a plan must: (1) provide notice to each participant and beneficiary regarding the coverage required under this bill, and (2) ensure that coverage is provided for secondary consultations. Health plans are prohibited from taking specified actions to avoid the requirements of this bill. Health insurers that provide individual health insurance coverage may discontinue an individual's coverage based on the intentional concealment of material facts regarding a health condition related to a condition for which coverage is being claimed.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2016
Preserving HUD's Multifamily Field Offices Act of 2016 This bill prohibits the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from relocating to any core office of the Office of Multifamily Housing any asset management position (including any account executive, senior account executive, and troubled asset specialist position) that, as of this bill's enactment, is located at a non-core office of that Office. "Core office" is defined as a regional hub office located in Atlanta, Chicago, Fort Worth, New York City, or San Francisco. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy in any asset management position at any non-core office (including any vacancy in existence as of the date of enactment), HUD may newly hire an employee to fill that position only at the same non-core office.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2016
Overdraft Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a depository institution from engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in connection with overdraft coverage, or in acts designed to evade the provisions of this Act. Each depository institution that offers or provides overdraft coverage for transaction accounts held at the institution shall clearly and conspicuously disclose overdraft coverage fees. It must also disclose that, if a consumer does not opt-in to such overdraft coverage: the consumer's transaction may be declined if there are insufficient funds in the related transaction account, and the consumer will not be charged a fee if such transaction is declined. A depository institution may charge overdraft coverage fees in connection with use of an automatic teller machine (ATM) or point of sale transaction only if the consumer has consented in writing, in electronic form, or in another form permitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. A depository institution must provide specified consumer disclosures regarding its overdraft protection program, including: periodic statements for any transaction account that has an overdraft coverage program feature; prompt notification of the account's overdraft status; and the overdraft coverage fee as an annual percentage rate, permitting consumers to compare meaningfully the overdraft coverage to alternative forms of overdraft options and other sources of credit. The bill prescribes overdraft coverage fee limits. The bill prohibits an overdraft coverage fee if the overdraft results solely from a debit hold amount that exceeds the actual dollar amount of the transaction. A depository institution shall provide consumers who have not consented to participate in an overdraft coverage program transaction accounts with the same terms as those provided to consumers who have consented to participate in such program. The bill prohibits a depository institution from: charging a non-sufficient fund fee for any ATM or debit card transaction, or reporting negative information regarding consumer use of overdraft coverage to any consumer reporting agency when the overdraft amounts and coverage fees are paid under the terms of an overdraft coverage program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Corporate EXpatriates and Inverters Tax Fairness Act or the Corporate EXIT Fairness Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth rules governing corporate inversions (i.e., the practice of relocating a domestic corporation's legal domicile to a lower-tax nation while retaining its business activities in the higher-tax country of origin) and corporate expatriations. Specifically, the bill requires payment of tax on the deferred overseas profits of U.S. multinational corporations or partnerships before they reincorporate or organize in a foreign country. Additionally, any stock of a controlled foreign corporation in connection with a corporate expatriation would be treated as sold for its fair market value as of the date of expatriation and be subject to U.S. taxation. The bill expands the definitions of "corporate inversion" and "corporate expatriation" and revises rules relating to the taxation of inverted corporations. A foreign corporation that acquires the assets of a U.S. corporation or partnership after April 29, 2016, shall be treated as an inverted corporation and thus subject to U.S. taxation if, after such acquisition: (1) the expanded affiliated group which includes the foreign corporation does not have substantial business activities in the foreign country in which the corporation is created or organized, when compared to the total business activities of such expanded affiliated group; and (2) more than 50% of the foreign corporation is held by former shareholders or partners of the domestic corporation or partnership, or the management or control of the expanded affiliated group occurs primarily within the United States, and such expanded affiliated group has significant domestic business activities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
S tability and Democracy for Ukraine Act or the STAND for Ukraine Act This bill provides that no federal agency should take any action or extend any assistance that recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea, its airspace, or its territorial waters. The bill urges that the Government Publishing Office not print any document indicating Crimea as part of the Russian Federation (Russia). U.S. sanctions provided for in Executive Orders 13660, 13661, 13662, (blocking property of persons contributing to the situation in Ukraine) and 13685 (blocking property of persons contributing to the situation in Crimea) shall remain in effect until the President certifies to Congress that: Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea has been restored, or the status of Crimea has been resolved to the satisfaction of a democratically elected government of Ukraine. The Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act of 2014 is amended to authorize the President to block and prohibit a foreign person's transactions of property or property interests that are U.S.-sited or controlled by a U.S. person if the foreign person has knowingly: (1) violated such executive orders, or (2) facilitated deceptive or structured transactions for or on behalf of any person subject to U.S. sanctions against Russia. The President shall: use U.S. influence to seek North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) adoption of a policy that opposes the transfer of defense articles and services to Russia while Russia occupies the territory of Ukraine or of a NATO member, and direct appropriate U.S. agencies to monitor and identify transfers by NATO members of defense articles and services to Russia. A license application or other authorization for the transfer of any defense article or service to or on behalf of a NATO member so identified shall be subject to a presumption of denial. The Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 is amended to include in the list of persons responsible for gross violations of human rights persons committing such actions in any territory forcibly occupied or otherwise controlled by Russia. The Department of State shall seek to establish an international consortium to increase private investment in Ukraine that shall include the United States. It is the sense of Congress that the Broadcasting Board of Governors shall establish Crimean Tatar services (subordinate to the Ukrainian language services) and broadcast Crimean Tatar language content into Crimea.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
This bill bars the Department of Transportation (DOT) from issuing a foreign air carrier permit, or an exemption from certain economic regulations, to furnish foreign air transportation under the United States-European Union-Norway-Iceland Air Transport Agreement of June 21, 2011, unless DOT: finds that issuing the permit or exemption would be consistent with the intent of the parties, set forth in article 17 bis of the agreement, that opportunities created by the agreement do not undermine labor standards or the labor-related rights and principles contained in the parties' respective laws; and imposes conditions on the permit or exemption necessary to ensure that the foreign air transportation furnished complies with the intent of article 17 bis .
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Empowering Educators to Prevent Trafficking Act This bill authorizes the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to award grants to local educational agencies to train school staff to recognize and respond to signs of labor and sex trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2016
This bill provides FY2016 emergency supplemental appropriations to the Departments of State and Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases. The bill specifies permissible uses for the funds and designates the funds as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits. The bill provides appropriations to HHS for: the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit Project BioShield to be used to support the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or treat harm from any infectious disease that may pose a threat to the public health. (Under current law, Project BioShield supports only countermeasures against specific chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorist threats.) The bill temporarily increases from 55% to 65% the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage in the territories (Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands). The bill provides appropriations to the Department of State for: the Administration of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Bilateral Economic Assistance, International Security Assistance, and Multilateral Assistance. Unobligated balances of specified funds provided for the Ebola virus may be used to respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
Urges the working group established by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany to recognize the imperative to fund immediately and fully the medical, mental health, and long-term care needs of surviving Holocaust victims, with full transparency and accountability, to ensure all funds for Holocaust victims from the Federal Republic of Germany are administered efficiently, fairly, and without delay. Urges the Federal Republic of Germany also to reaffirm its commitment to fulfill its moral responsibility to Holocaust victims by: ensuring that each Holocaust victim receives all of the prescribed medical care, home care, mental health care, and other vital services necessary to live in dignity; and providing, without delay, additional financial resources to address the unique needs of Holocaust victims.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
2016 Tax Day Floods Supplemental Funding Act This bill makes supplemental appropriations for FY2016 for the Army Corps of Engineers for construction for flood control and storm damage reduction projects in areas affected by flooding in Houston, Texas, that have received a major disaster declaration pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Appropriated funds shall remain available through FY2026 and shall be designated as being for disaster relief under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2016
Declares that, whenever a moment of silence related to a tragedy involving gun violence occurs on the floor of the House, the Speaker shall announce on the next legislative day the standing committee (or subcommittee) designated to hold a hearing on the event.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of State to submit to Congress a multi-year strategy for U.S. engagement with the Caribbean region that: identifies State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) efforts to prioritize U.S. policy towards the Caribbean region; broadens State Department and USAID outreach to the Caribbean diaspora community in the United States to promote their involvement in Caribbean economic development and citizen security; outlines an approach to partner with Caribbean governments to improve citizen security, reduce illicit drug trafficking, strengthen the rule of law, and improve the effectiveness of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI); encourages efforts of the region to implement regional and national strategies that improve Caribbean energy security; improves diplomatic engagement with Caribbean governments; and assists Caribbean countries in diversifying their economies, reducing free trade and investment barriers, and supporting the training and employment of persons in marginalized communities. The Government Accountability Office shall submit reports to Congress regarding: (1) the CBSI; and (2) diplomatic outreach from the U.S. embassy in Barbados to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and the Grenadines.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Urges the Department of State to provide: (1) equipment and training to the men and women of the Kurdish Peshmerga in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and (2) assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government to assist in meeting the needs of the internally displaced persons and refugee populations. Encourages the Peshmerga to continue and redouble their efforts to protect minorities who are fleeing persecution in Iraq and Syria.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2016
Risk Management and Homeowner Stability Act of 2016 This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to prohibit the chairs of the congressional budget committees from counting increases to guarantee fees as offsets for budget enforcement purposes. The bill includes an exception for legislation that increases guarantee fees to finance reforms to the secondary mortgage market. (Guarantee fees are charged by enterprises, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association [Fannie Mae] and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation [Freddie Mac], to guarantee the payment of principal and interest on loans. This bill prevents the fees from being used to offset provisions that increase the deficit in determining whether a budget point of order applies to legislation.)
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2016
United States - Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a joint United States-Israel Cybersecurity Center of Excellence based in the United States and Israel to leverage the experience, knowledge, and expertise of institutions of higher education, the private sector, and government entities in cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure. The center may promote joint research and development, share best practices and access to American and Israeli innovation, and strengthen partnerships between the United States and Israeli entities. DHS may carry out a program to award an annual competitive prize to stimulate innovation to advance the center's mission.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2016
This bill directs the Department of State to: (1) develop a strategy to obtain membership status for India in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, including participation in related meetings, working groups, activities, and mechanisms; and (2) urge APEC member states to support India's membership.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Condemns the attacks against the residents of Camp Liberty/Hurriya in Iraq. Urges the government of Iraq to: (1) bring to justice those responsible for the attacks; and (2) ensure access to food, clean water, medical assistance, electricity and other necessary supplies and equipment. Calls on the United States to work with Iraq to: (1) bring Camp Liberty/Hurriya to the same level of protection as that of the Baghdad International Airport to ensure the security of the residents, and (2) facilitate the residents' ability to sell their property and assets in order to fund their costs of living and resettlement out of Iraq. Urges the United States to work with Iraq and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to ensure that Camp Liberty/Hurriya residents, without exception, are safely resettled outside of Iraq and Iran according to the terms of the December 2011 Memorandum of Understanding. Calls on the United States to work with Albania and UNHCR to provide suitable housing for the remaining Camp Liberty/Hurriya residents in Albania.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 61 South Baldwin Avenue in Sierra Madre, California, as the "Louis Van Iersel Post Office."
![Official portrait of Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000344_200.jpg)