United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2019
75th Anniversary of the End of World War II Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 500,000 $1 coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The coins shall be emblematic of the sacrifices made by millions of people of the United States 75 years ago in bringing an end to World War II. The design on each coin shall represent the World War II Victory Medal, which was awarded to all 16 million U.S. military personnel who served from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946. The bill requires all sales of such coins include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by Treasury to the congressionally designated National WWII Museum to fund its educational mission of telling the story of the U.S. experience in World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to continue to sell the Alzheimer's disease semipostal stamp for an additional six years. The USPS must continue to transfer proceeds from the sale of the stamp to the National Institutes of Health to fund medical research relating to Alzheimer's disease.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019 This bill establishes several prohibitions, requirements, and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Specifically, the bill prohibits MA plans from instituting additional prior authorization requirements for surgeries (including related items) that are furnished to a patient during other surgeries for which prior authorization was not required or was already received. Additionally, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards, including the ability to provide real-time decisions in response to requests for items and services that are routinely approved; (2) annually publish specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2019
Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2019 This bill repeals specified limitations, for purposes of Medicare participation, on self-referrals by newly constructed or expanded physician-owned hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2019
Securing American Science and Technology Act of 2019 This bill establishes a working group and a roundtable related to the security of science and technology. The bill directs the National Science and Technology Council to establish an interagency working group to coordinate activities to protect federally funded research and development from foreign interference, cyberattacks, theft, or espionage and to identify and track threats. The National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine to create a new National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Prohibiting Local Airports from Neglecting Enforcement Act or the PLANE Act This bill prohibits the Department of Transportation from issuing grants to airports that impose unreasonable conditions or restrictions on air carriers operating under an agreement with a government agency, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2019
Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act of 2019 This bill increases the rehabilitation tax credit and modifies certain requirements for the credit. The bill increases the rate of the credit to 30% for smaller projects (rehabilitation expenditures not exceeding $3.75 million) and caps the credit for such projects at $750,000 for all taxable years. The bill also allows taxpayers to transfer all or a portion of the credits that are allowable for smaller projects. The bill expands the types of buildings eligible for rehabilitation by decreasing the rehabilitation threshold from 100% to 50% of project expenses. It also eliminates the basis adjustment requirement for the credit and modifies rules relating to the eligibility of tax-exempt use property for the credit.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Justice for Servicemembers Act This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of a dispute related to the employment or reemployment rights of a uniformed service member.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Transit Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act This bill prohibits the awarding of a contract to an entity for the procurement of rolling stock for use in public transportation if the manufacturer of the rolling stock is (1) incorporated or has manufacturing facilities in the United States; and (2) is owned or controlled by an entity based in a country that is identified as a nonmarket economy country, was identified by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as a priority foreign country (e.g., a country that does not protect intellectual property rights), and is subject to monitoring by the USTR. This includes the People's Republic of China. Any recipient of financial assistance for public transportation that operates a rail fixed guideway service must certify that is will not award any contract for the procurement of rail rolling stock for use in public transportation to a manufacturer of rolling stock that is described by this bill. A recipient that operates a rail fixed guideway public transportation system must certify that it has a written plan for identifying and reducing cybersecurity risks.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents and expresses support for the people of Iran who are engaged in legitimate and peaceful protests against the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2019 This bill revises provisions regarding certain forest management activities conducted by the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior. The bill establishes categorical exclusions from environmental review for activities such as responding to an infestation or protecting a municipal water supply. For certain forest management activities, including those developed through a collaborative process, an environmental review may compare the impact of the proposed activity only to the impact of taking no action.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
National Right-to-Work Act This bill repeals those provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act that permit employers, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment (including provisions permitting railroad carriers to require, pursuant to such an agreement, payroll deduction of union dues or fees as a condition of employment).
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2019
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act This bill addresses the mine permitting process. Under the bill, projects that provide minerals vital to job creation, energy infrastructure, coastal resilience and restoration, American economic competitiveness, and national security must be considered to be infrastructure projects as described in Executive Order 13807, titled Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects and dated August 15, 2017. This order directed federal agencies to ensure that the environmental review and permitting process for infrastructure is coordinated, predictable, and transparent. The bill sets forth general requirements for an existing mineral exploration or mine permit application. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the Forest Service shall appoint a project lead for the mine permitting process to coordinate with other agencies to ensure that the agencies minimize delays, set and adhere to timelines for completion of the permitting process, set clear permitting goals, and track progress against goals. The requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 are satisfied if the BLM or the Forest Service determines that the agency issuing the permit will address specified factors, such as environmental impact, alternatives to issuance of the permit, or any irreversible and irretrievable commitment of resources that would be involved in the proposed action. Projects on National Forest System land shall be exempt from regulations that prohibit timber tree cutting and road construction in areas without roads.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act of 201 9 This bill establishes a three-year budgetary level reduction schedule with respect to unauthorized programs funded through the annual appropriations process. The term "budgetary level" refers to an allocation provided to the congressional appropriations committees under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by a congressional budget resolution or a deeming resolution. The schedule applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year. For the first year after a program's authorization has expired, the bill requires the budgetary level to be reduced by 10% of the funds appropriated for the program in the expiring fiscal year. The bill then requires reductions of 15% in the second and third years before terminating the program at the end of the third unauthorized year. Programs that are reauthorized during the three-year period are exempt from the budgetary level reductions if the reauthorization contains a sunset provision limiting the authorization of appropriations period to no more than three years. The bill establishes the Spending and Accountability Commission to review all mandatory spending programs and submit to Congress a legislative proposal to establish an authorization cycle for discretionary spending programs. The commission may recommend legislation to replace the budgetary level reductions required by this bill with reductions in mandatory spending. The commission's reauthorization schedule must limit reauthorizations to three years, include the budgetary level reductions established by this bill, and establish a mechanism for replacing the budgetary level reductions with reductions to mandatory spending programs. The House of Representatives must consider the commission's proposal using specified expedited legislative procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of the Interior to develop and maintain a current and accurate multipurpose cadastre (inventory) of federal real property and any nonfederal real property in a state to support federal land management activities on federal real property, including resource development and conservation and agricultural use. Interior shall report on (1) existing real property inventories or any components of any cadastre of federal real property, (2) consolidation of inventories and components, (3) the use of existing inventories and components of any cadastre, (4) cost savings that will be achieved, (5) a plan for implementation of this bill, and (6) recommendations for legislation. Interior shall (1) make the multipurpose cadastre publicly available on the Internet, and (2) ensure that such cadastre includes the identification of all lands suitable for disposal pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 This bill removes the requirement that a health care practitioner apply for a separate waiver through the Drug Enforcement Administration to dispense certain narcotic drugs (e.g., buprenorphine) for maintenance or detoxification treatment (i.e., substance use disorder treatment). Further, the bill directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct a national campaign to educate health care practitioners and encourage them to integrate substance use disorder treatment into their practices.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Willie O'Ree, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and recreational opportunity.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act This bill provides a discretionary spending limit adjustment for full utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to ensure that funds are used to support navigation and maintain federally authorized harbors. The bill makes certain amounts in the trust fund available, without appropriation, to pay 100% of the eligible operations and maintenance costs of specified portions of the Saint Lawrence Seaway (a system of locks, canals, and channels in Canada and the United States that permits oceangoing vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes); and up to 100% of the eligible operations and maintenance costs assigned to commercial navigation of all U.S. harbors and inland harbors. The discretionary spending adjustment in a given fiscal year may not exceed the amount within the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund on the last day of the fiscal year that is two years prior to such fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
Safe Routes Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to waive vehicle weight limits for covered logging vehicles. The term "covered logging vehicle' means a vehicle that (1) is transporting raw or unfinished forest products, including logs, pulpwood, biomass, or wood chips; (2) is traveling a distance not greater than 150 air miles from origin to a storage or processing facility; and (3) meets state legal weight tolerances and vehicle configurations for transporting raw or unfinished forest products within the state boundaries in which the vehicle is operating.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 400,000 $1 silver coins that are emblematic of the women who played a vital role in rallying support for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Such coins may be issued during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020. All surcharges received from the sales of such coins shall be paid to the American Women's History Initiative of the Smithsonian Institution.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2019
Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the "Ghost Army," collectively, in recognition of its service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Wild Game Donation Act of 2019 This bill modifies the tax treatment of donations of wild game meat to (1) increase the tax deduction for charitable contributions of qualified wild game meat by the processing fees paid with respect to such contributions, and (2) exclude from the gross income of meat processors processing fees paid by a charitable organization for the processing of donated wild game meat. "Qualified wild game meat" is the meat of any animal typically used for human consumption, but only if (1) such animal is killed in the wild by the individual making the charitable contribution and is hunted or taken in accordance with all state and local laws, (2) the meat is processed for human consumption by a licensed processor, and (3) the meat is apparently wholesome as determined by regulations under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, if it creates a presumption of service-connection between the occurrence of a disease and exposure to an herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam era at a military base in Thailand, such presumption must also apply to exposure at any military base in Thailand, regardless of where on the base the veteran was located or what military job specialty the veteran performed.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Keeping Our Promises Act This bill expands the list of diseases that are provided a presumption of service-connection for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. The bill extends through September 30, 2030, the requirement for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make determinations and submissions related to the connection between herbicide exposure and occurrence of disease. Additionally, the VA is prohibited from taking the costs of compensation into account when determining the association between exposure to an herbicide agent and occurrence of a disease. The bill requires the VA to determine within 120 days (currently 60) whether a presumption of service-connection is warranted for diseases covered by a National Academy of Sciences report.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
World War I Valor Medals Review Act This bill requires review of the service records of certain decorated World War I veterans to determine whether they should be awarded the Medal of Honor for valor during that war. Specifically, the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Navy shall review the records of any African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Jewish American, or Native American war veteran who was recommended for review by a veterans service organization and who, for action that occurred between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918 was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross or the Navy Cross, was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm by the government of France, or was recommended for a Medal of Honor. If a review indicates that the award is warranted, a recommendation shall be made to the President to award the Medal of Honor to that veteran.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act This bill exempts individuals with metastatic breast cancer from certain waiting periods for disability insurance benefits under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program and related Medicare coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands Act of 2019 or the RURAL Act of 2019 This bill modifies the definition of income used to determine the tax-exempt status of a mutual or cooperative telephone or electric company to exclude certain government grants, contributions, and assistance. Specifically, the bill excludes from income (1) grants, contributions, and assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or by local, state, or regional governmental entities for disasters or emergencies; and (2) certain grants or contributions provided by a government entity for electric, communications, broadband, internet, or other utility facilities or services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2019 This bill allows a refundable tax credit equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent of the taxpayer. "Qualified access technology" is hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats useable by blind individuals. The credit is limited to (1) costs that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,000 per blind individual in any period of three consecutive taxable years. The credit must be adjusted for inflation after 2020 and terminates after five years.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act This bill prohibits the sale of food that contains poppy seeds with potentially harmful levels of morphine, codeine, or other alkaloid compounds.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2019
This bill releases to the State of Arkansas a reversionary interest in and to the surface estate of the land constituting Camp Joseph T. Robinson, consisting of approximately 141.52 acres.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act or the TRACED Act This bill implements a forfeiture penalty for violations (with or without intent) of the prohibition on certain robocalls. The bill also removes an annual reporting requirement for enforcement relating to unsolicited facsimile advertisements. The bill requires voice service providers to develop call authentication technologies. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) shall promulgate rules establishing when a provider may block a voice call based on information provided by the call authentication framework, but also must establish a process to permit a calling party adversely affected by the framework to verify the authenticity of their calls. The FCC shall also initiate a rulemaking to help protect a subscriber from receiving unwanted calls or texts from a caller using an unauthenticated number. This bill requires the Department of Justice and the FCC to assemble an interagency working group to study and report to Congress on the enforcement of the prohibition of certain robocalls. Specifically, the working group will look into how to better enforce against robocalls by examining issues like the types of laws, policies, or constraints that could be inhibiting enforcement. The bill requires the FCC to initiate a proceeding to determine whether its policies regarding access to number resources could be modified to help reduce access to numbers by potential robocall violators.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Conscience Protection Act of 2019 This bill provides statutory authority for certain restrictions prohibiting discrimination against health care providers that refuse to perform abortions. Specifically, the bill prohibits the federal government, as well as state and local governments that receive federal financial assistance for health-related activities, from penalizing or discriminating against a health care provider based on the provider's refusal to be involved in, or provide coverage for, abortions. Currently, similar provider nondiscrimination requirements apply to certain employment or personnel decisions (the Church Amendments), abortion services training (the Coats-Snowe Amendment), and qualified health plans offered through health insurance exchanges. Annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies have also included similar language (the Weldon Amendment). The HHS Office for Civil Rights, in coordination with the Department of Justice (DOJ), must investigate complaints alleging discrimination based on an individual's religious belief, moral conviction, or refusal to be involved in an abortion. DOJ or any entity adversely affected by such discrimination may obtain equitable or legal relief in a civil action. Administrative remedies do not need to be sought or exhausted prior to commencing an action or granting relief. Such an action may be brought against a governmental entity and may include money damages against such entity.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Second Chance at Life Act of 2019 This bill requires abortion providers administering chemical abortions to provide specified information about the possibility of reversing the effects of such procedure. Specifically, a patient must be informed at least 24 in advance that (1) reversing a chemical abortion may be possible after administering the first drug of a two-drug procedure and (2) additional information about chemical abortions is available through the Department of Health and Human Services. Further, after the first drug is administered, the physician must provide written discharge instructions to the patient that state it may be possible to reverse the abortion procedure before the second drug is taken, among other information. Such information also must be conspicuously posted inside the office or waiting area of clinics that provide chemical abortions. Abortion providers are not required to provide such information in the event that an abortion is necessary to save the life of a patient who is endangered due to a complication resulting from a pregnancy.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
This bill authorizes a court to reduce a prison term imposed on a defendant convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a juvenile if (1) the defendant has served at least 20 years in custody, and (2) the defendant is not a danger to public safety.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Sara's Law This bill allows courts to impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum for a juvenile who was convicted of a violent offense against a person who engaged in certain conduct (e.g., trafficking, abuse, or assault) against the juvenile. It also allows courts to suspend any portion of an imposed sentence under these circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
This bill addresses the sentencing of juvenile offenders. Specifically, the bill requires courts to consider the diminished culpability of juveniles compared to that of adults when sentencing juvenile offenders. It allows courts to impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum by up to 35% to reflect the juvenile's age and prospect for rehabilitation.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act of 2019 This bill addresses regulations governing compounding pharmacies. The bill expands the circumstances under which a drug may be compounded (i.e., manufactured at small scale) to allow pharmacists and physicians to compound drugs for administration to patients in an office or clinical setting, in accordance with state law. (Compounded drugs are not required to meet certain federal requirements regarding manufacturing, labeling, or approval.) Dietary supplements may be used in the compounding of a drug. The bill exempts from interstate distribution limits the dispensing of a compounded drug from the facility where it is compounded to a patient or health facility. The bill limits the scope of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections of compounding pharmacies to certain equipment, materials, containers, and labeling. This aligns the scope of inspections of compounding pharmacies with the scope of inspections of other pharmacies. (Currently, the scope of inspections of compounding pharmacies is the same as the scope of inspections of drug manufacturers.) The bill also eliminates the requirement for compounding pharmacies to register with the FDA as drug manufacturers.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2019 This bill allows a state or federal correctional facility to operate a jamming system to interfere with cellphone signals within inmate housing facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Lymphedema Treatment Act of 2019 This bill includes certain lymphedema compression treatment items as covered durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
Improving HOPE for Alzheimer's This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to conduct outreach to health care practitioners regarding comprehensive care planning services that are available under Medicare for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The CMS must report on its outreach efforts, as well as on the number of beneficiaries receiving such services and any barriers to access.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
Restoring Investment in Improvements Act This bill confirms that the applicable recovery period for qualified improvement property (nonresidential real estate) for depreciation purposes is 15 years under the modified accelerated cost recovery system (MACRS) and 20 years under the alternative depreciation system (ADS).
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
National Law Enforcement Museum Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins that are emblematic of the National Law Enforcement Museum in the District of Columbia and the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers throughout the history of the United States. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges, which shall be distributed to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
Fair and Open Competition Act or FOCA Act This bill prohibits federal construction contracts or controlling documents for federally supported construction projects from requiring or prohibiting project labor agreements. Such documents also may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder or contractor who signs or refuses to sign a project labor agreement. An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
United States-Israel Cooperation Enhancement and Regional Security Act This bill authorizes various joint research and cooperation programs between the United States and Israel, reauthorizes security assistance to Israel, and establishes reporting requirements regarding various related issues. The bill authorizes the Department of State to work with Israel on research and development to establish directed energy capabilities. It authorizes through FY2024 cooperative projects involving the United States, Israel, and developing countries to identify and address sustainability challenges related to water resources, agriculture, and energy storage. The bill authorizes through FY2022 (1) activities of the U.S.-Israel Energy Center; (2) cooperation with and assistance to Israel related to security, explosives detection, and cybersecurity; (3) activities related to the U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund; and (4) activities to establish a cooperative program with Israel to develop health technologies. The State Department shall establish a grant program to support cybersecurity research and development and commercialization of cybersecurity technology open to joint ventures involving U.S. and Israeli entities. The President shall establish contingency plans to provide Israel with necessary defense articles and services and assess plans to assist and supply Israel with munitions in the event of a sustained armed confrontation with Hezbollah. The bill authorizes the President to (1) waive export control requirements and immediately transfer defense articles to Israel in response to an existing or imminent military threat, and (2) transfer precision guided munitions to Israel as necessary for legitimate self-defense. The bill extends through FY2024 security assistance and loan guarantees for Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2019
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. The bill limits the issuance of such coins to the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2021. The bill prescribes surcharges for coin sales, which shall be paid to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Inc., to support the mission of such organization, including capital improvements to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Ensuring Safe Housing for Our Military Act This bill addresses certain health, safety, and environmental hazards in private military housing units and offers certain protections to service members. Among other things, the bill (1) requires uniform credentials for housing inspectors; (2) allows the Department of Defense (DOD) to withhold payment to landlords over health, safety, or environmental hazard concerns; (3) requires a landlord to pay certain relocation costs in connection with a hazard and to reimburse a tenant for personal property damage; and (4) disallows deposits and certain fees or penalties. DOD must maintain an electronic work order system to facilitate repairs to units.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
VA Billing Accountability Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to waive the requirement that a veteran make co-payments for medications, hospital care, nursing home care, and medical services in certain situations. Specifically, a veteran may have such co-payments waived if (1) an error committed by the VA or a non-VA facility delayed co-payment notification to the veteran, and (2) the veteran received such notification later than 180 days (18 months in the case of a non-VA facility) after the date on which the veteran received the care or services. In requiring a veteran to make a co-payment for care or services provided at a VA or a non-VA medical facility, the VA shall notify the veteran not later than 180 days (18 months in the case of a non-VA facility) after the date on which the veteran received the care or services. If the VA does not provide notification by such date, it may not collect the payment, including through a third-party entity, unless the veteran is provided with (1) information about applying for a waiver and establishing a payment plan with the VA, and (2) an opportunity to make a waiver or establish a payment plan. Finally, the bill requires the VA to review and improve its co-payment billing internal controls and notification procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
This bill repeals the limitation on the amount of distilled spirits excise taxes covered over (paid) to the treasuries of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The bill also requires the Department of the Treasury to transfer a portion of the amount required to be covered over to Puerto Rico to the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Future in Logging Careers Act This bill exempts from child labor laws an employee between the ages of 16 and 18 years who is employed in an occupation that the Department of Labor finds to be particularly hazardous for the employment of children between such ages by a person who is a parent, or standing in the place of a parent of such employee, or by a timber harvesting employer or a mechanized timber harvesting employer owned or operated by such person.
![Official portrait of Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/w000821_200.jpg)