United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act This bill amends the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to establish an unlawful employment practice when the complaining party demonstrates that age or participation in investigations, proceedings, or litigation under such Act was a motivating factor for any unlawful employment practice, even though other factors also motivated the practice (thereby allowing what are commonly known as "mixed motive" claims). The bill (1) permits a complaining party to rely on any type or form of admissible evidence, which need only be sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to find that an unlawful practice occurred; and (2) declares that a complaining party shall not be required to demonstrate that age or retaliation was the sole cause of the employment practice (thereby rejecting the Supreme Court's decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. , which requires a complainant to prove that age was the "but-for" cause for the employer's decision). The bill authorizes a court in a claim in which age discrimination is shown to grant declaratory and injunctive relief, but prohibits a court from awarding damages or issuing an order requiring any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment. The bill applies the same standard of proof to other employment discrimination and retaliation claims, including claims under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act This bill establishes the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund into which, through FY2024, there shall be deposited an amount equal to 50% of all energy development revenues due to the federal government from oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy development on federal lands and waters. Deposited amounts must not exceed $1.3 billion for any fiscal year. From such amounts 80% shall be allocated to the National Park Service for high-priority deferred maintenance projects, ensuring parity between transportation and nontransportation projects; 10% shall be for the national wildlife refuge system maintenance backlog; 5% shall be for the public access and recreation backlog on public lands; and 5% shall be for school construction and deferred maintenance backlogs. The Department of the Interior must submit to Congress, with the President's annual budget submission, a list of projects receiving allocations from the fund and a description of each such project. Interior, and other specified agencies, may accept cash or in-kind donations that advance efforts to reduce maintenance backlogs and encourage public-private partnerships.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Help Extract Animals from Red Tape Act of 2019 or the HEART Act of 2019 This bill modifies notice requirements in a civil forfeiture proceeding that involves the seizure of an animal involved in animal fighting. Specifically, the government must notify interested parties of an animal's seizure within 30 days (currently, 60 days). The notice period may be extended only if a delay is warranted after considering certain factors, including the cost to the government of providing shelter for the animal, the health of the animal and the effect of a delay on its rehabilitation, and any increased risk that a delay could necessitate the euthanasia of the animal. Additionally, the bill authorizes amounts in the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund to be used to pay for costs associated with a seized animal, including transportation, shelter, care, veterinary services, and humane euthanasia.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Agriculture Research Integrity Act of 201 9 This bill reaffirms that the Agricultural Research Service, the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and any successor agencies must be (1) within the research, education, and economics mission area of the Department of Agriculture (USDA); and (2) administered by the USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics. USDA must locate each of the specified agencies and the majority of the staff of the agencies within the National Capital Region.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act of 2019 or the ACE Kids Act of 2019 This bill establishes a state Medicaid option to provide for medical assistance with respect to coordinated care provided through a health home (i.e., a designated provider or team of health-care professionals) for children with medically complex conditions. States must determine payment methodologies in accordance with specified requirements; payments also temporarily qualify for an enhanced federal matching rate.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Living Donor Protection Act of 2019 This bill prohibits discrimination based on an individual's status as a living organ donor in the offering, issuance, cancellation, coverage, price, or any other condition of a life-insurance policy, disability-insurance policy, or long-term-care insurance policy. The bill also specifically includes recovery from organ-donation surgery as a serious health condition that entitles covered private-sector and federal civil-service employees to medical leave. The Department of Health and Human Services must update public-service announcements, websites, and other media regarding live organ donation to educate the public on the benefits of live organ donation and on access to insurance for living organ donors.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Stop the Tax Hike on Charities and Places of Worship Act This bill modifies the requirements for determining the unrelated business taxable income of tax-exempt organizations. The bill repeals a provision that requires unrelated business taxable income to be increased by the amount of expenses paid or incurred by a tax-exempt organization for certain fringe benefits for which a tax deduction is not allowed, including benefits relating to transportation, parking, or an on-premises athletic facility. The bill also increases the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 21.03%.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
This resolution reaffirms that the promotion of human rights and democracies, including the empowerment of women and girls, is a longstanding bedrock of U.S. foreign policy. It also condemns Saudi Arabia's continued detention and alleged abuse of women's rights advocates and urges the immediate and unconditional release of such advocates. The resolution also urges Saudi Arabia to end its male guardianship system and calls on the United States to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabian government officials responsible for gross human rights violations.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Every Kid Outdoors Act This bill directs the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and the Army to establish the Every Kids Outdoors program to provide fourth graders or home- schooled learners who are 10 years old and reside in the United States free access to federal lands and waters to which the public has access. Such Departments shall issue such students annual passes, upon request, which shall allow free access to a per-vehicle fee area for the student and any passengers accompanying the student in a private, noncommercial vehicle or for up to three adults accompanying the student on bicycles; or a per-person fee area for the student and up to three adults accompanying the student. In carrying out such program, such departments may collaborate with state park systems that opt to implement a complementary Every Kid Outdoors State park pass, may coordinate with the Department of Education to implement the program, shall maintain a publicly available website that provides information about the program, may provide visitor services, and may support approved partners of the federal lands and waters by furnishing them with opportunities for participation in the program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Funding for Aviation Screeners and Threat Elimination Restoration Act or the FASTER Act This bill repeals the requirement that a portion of aviation security service fees collected from passengers be credited as offsetting receipts and deposited in the general fund of the Treasury and instead requires such fees to be deposited into a separate account in the Treasury for expenditure only to pay the costs of activities and services for which the fee is imposed.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Acupuncture for Heroes and Seniors Act of 2019 This bill expands access to acupuncturist services, particularly for veterans and seniors. Specifically, the bill requires the provision of qualified acupuncturist services for veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system and military members and their dependents under the TRICARE program. A qualified acupuncturist is an individual who is licensed, certified, or otherwise accredited to perform acupuncture services. The bill also entitles military members and their dependents to qualified acupuncturist services under the TRICARE program without a referral, even if such services are not medically or psychologically necessary to prevent, diagnose, or treat an issue. The VA must implement a program to provide acupuncturist services in at least one VA facility in each Veterans Integrated Service Network in both urban and rural areas. Such services must be available to veterans enrolled in the VA health care system without the requirement of a referral. The VA must also establish the Advisory Committee on Acupuncturist Services to assist with the implementation of the VA acupuncturist program. The VA must pay acupuncturists equivalently with how it pays physicians. The bill provides for coverage for qualified acupuncturist services under the Medicare program and prescribes benefit amounts and payment rules depending on the circumstances of the service. The bill also makes acupuncturists eligible for appointment as (1) commissioned officers in the Armed Forces, and (2) officers in the commissioned Regular Corps and the Ready Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Preventing Unkind and Painful Procedures and Experiments on Respected Species Act of 2019 or the PUPPERS Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs, in carrying out research within the Veterans Health Administration, from purchasing, breeding, transporting, housing, feeding, maintaining, disposing of, or experimenting on dogs as part of the conduct of any study that causes significant pain or distress.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Climate Change National Security Strategy Act of 2019 This bill requires the impacts of climate change to be identified and considered in the development and implementation of national security policies and plans. Specifically, the bill requires the National Security Advisor and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to jointly establish an interagency Climate and National Security Working Group, which must develop an action plan on climate-related impacts on national security interests. Further, specified federal departments and agencies must each develop a plan that ensures that such impacts are identified and considered in the development and implementation of relevant national security doctrine, policies, and plans. The plans must be updated at least annually.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Native American Suicide Prevention Act of 2019 This bill requires a state or state-designated entity that receives support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for development and implementation of a statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategy to agree to collaborate with each of the state's federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and Native Hawaiian health care systems regarding the strategy.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Forcing Limits on Abusive and Tumultuous Prices or the FLAT Prices Act This bill directs the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the market exclusivity of an approved prescription drug if the drug manufacturer increases the drug's price by more than a specified percentage. This reduction may be waived under specified circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act This bill expands the definition of law enforcement officer under provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to include (1) federal employees whose duties encompass the investigation or apprehension of suspected or convicted criminals and who are authorized to carry a firearm; (2) Internal Revenue Service employees whose duties are primarily the collection of delinquent taxes and the securing of delinquent returns; (3) U.S. Postal Inspection Service employees; (4) Department of Veterans Affairs police officers; and (5) certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are seized-property specialists with duties relating to custody, management, and disposition of seized and forfeited property. The bill deems service performed by an incumbent law enforcement officer on or after the enactment date of this bill to be service performed as a law enforcement officer for retirement purposes. The past service of such incumbents shall be treated as service performed by a law enforcement officer for retirement purposes only if a written election is submitted to the Office of Personnel Management within five years after the enactment of this bill or before separation from government service, whichever is earlier. An incumbent who makes an election before the enactment of this bill may pay a deposit into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund to cover prior service. A law enforcement officer shall not be subject to mandatory separation during the three-year period beginning on the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act or the FAMILY Act This bill establishes the Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration. The bill entitles every individual to a family and medical leave insurance (FMLI) benefit payment for a specified benefit period and prescribes a formula for determining the individual's monthly benefit amount, An FMLI benefit payment shall be coordinated with any periodic benefits received under a state or local temporary disability insurance or family leave program. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a tax on employers, employees, and self-employed individuals to fund FMLI benefits. It also establishes the Federal Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund to hold tax revenues.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Acupuncture for Our Heroes Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide qualified acupuncturist services to veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. A qualified acupuncturist is an individual who is licensed, certified, or otherwise accredited and may be appointed as an employee of the VA or as a contractor. The VA shall carry out such program in at least one VA facility in each Veterans Integrated Service Network (regional VA health care administrative areas) in both urban and rural areas. The bill requires the VA to establish the Advisory Committee on Acupuncturist Services, which must advise the VA on governing protocols and review and evaluate the ability of a veteran to access an acupuncturist at VA facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019 This bill modifies the tax treatment of certain alcoholic beverages to exclude the aging period from the production period for beer, wine, or distilled spirits for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period; reduce excise tax rates on beer and distilled spirits; permit the transfer of beer between bonded facilities without payment of tax; increase the amount of the small wine producer tax credit and expand the categories of producers covered by such credit; allow an adjustment to the producer credit for hard cider; and modify the alcohol content limitations that apply to certain wines for tax purposes. The Department of the Treasury must amend applicable regulations with respect to the use of wholesome products suitable for human consumption in the production of fermented beverages. The bill also increases funding for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2019 This bill provides federal worker's compensation to firefighters who contract certain illnesses as a result of their service. Specifically, the bill provides that (1) heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for at least 5 years is presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of their employment in fire protection activities; and (2) the disability or death of the employee due to such disease is presumed to result from personal injury sustained in the performance of duty. These presumptions also apply to fire protection employees who contract any uncommon infectious disease, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). An employee in fire protection activities is a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must examine the implementation of this bill and appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks of firefighting.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act This bill requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether a state substantially provides public safety officers or employees the right to form and join a labor organization; recognition by public safety employers of the employees' labor organization, agreement to bargain with the organization, and reduction of any agreements to writing in a contract or memorandum of understanding; the right to bargain over hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment; and binding interest arbitration to resolve an impasse in collective bargaining negotiations. The bill makes the authority responsible for (1) determining the appropriateness of units for labor representation; (2) supervising elections; (3) conducting hearings and resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; and (4) protecting the right of employees to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from doing so. An employer, public safety officer, or labor organization may not engage in a lockout, sickout, work slowdown, strike, or any other organized job action that will measurably disrupt the delivery of emergency services and is designed to compel an employer, public safety officer, or labor organization to agree to the terms of a proposed contract.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2019
Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act of 2019 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the personnel system used by the Transpotation Security Administration (TSA) provides insufficient benefits and workplace protections for its workforce and such personnel should be provided protections and benefits under the civil service system applicable to all federal employees. Among other things, the bill eliminates personnel authorities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Transportation governing the conditions of employment for TSA employees, thus making TSA employees subject to the personnel management system applicable to other federal employees; sets forth transition rules that protect the pay rates and other rights of TSA employees; requires DHS to consult with the labor organization certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority to carry out the conversion of such positions; and does not affect the prohibitions against disloyalty and asserting the right to strike against the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2019
Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act This bill prohibits the Bureau of Land Management from administering an oil and gas leasing, development, production, and transportation program in and from the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2019
This resolution (1) strongly opposes President Trump's ban on transgender members of the Armed Forces, (2) rejects the scientific and medical claims upon which it is based, and (3) strongly urges the Department of Defense to not reinstate the ban and to maintain an inclusive policy allowing qualified transgender Americans to enlist and serve in the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019 This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund if an appropriations bill for the FAA has not been enacted before a fiscal year begins or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the FAA is not in effect. The bill provides appropriations at the rate of operations that was provided for the prior fiscal year to continue programs, projects, and activities for which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2019 This bill provides specific statutory authority for the Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) State Educational Agency Grant Program that is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program supports school-based mental health services, including screening, treatment, and outreach programs.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
VA Employee Fairness Act of 2019 This bill repeals provisions excluding any matter or question concerning professional conduct or competence; peer review; or the establishment, determination, or adjustment of employee compensation from the applicability of collective bargaining rights for Veterans Health Administration employees.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
This resolution expresses support for the designation of DIPG Awareness Day. (DIPG is diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a terminal childhood brain cancer.) It also encourages public and private sources of research funding to elevate their consideration of the mortality rate of a type of cancer as well as the life years lost as factors considered during the grant application process.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2019 This bill establishes a Department of Peacebuilding in the executive branch, dedicated to peacebuilding, peacemaking, and the study and promotion of conditions conducive to both domestic and international peace and a culture of peace. The mission of the department includes the cultivation of peace and peacebuilding as a strategic national policy objective and development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful conflict resolution, and structured conflict mediation. The department shall collaborate with others to promote personal and community security and peace by supporting policies to address personal and family violence, including suicide; address crime, punishment, and rehabilitation, including by reducing prison recidivism rates; reduce drug and alcohol abuse; and create, through local community initiatives, peace projects that facilitate conflict resolution and healing of societal wounds. A Federal Interagency Committee on Peace is established to coordinate the actions of the department with other federal agencies. The Department of Defense and the Department of State must consult with the department concerning nonviolent means of conflict resolution when a conflict between the United States and any other government or entity is foreseeable, imminent, or occurring. The department shall encourage citizens to observe and celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace on Peace Days.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
This resolution reaffirms Congress's commitment to the Paris Agreement to combat climate change and states that the United States is still in the agreement and should not withdraw.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2019 This bill expands treatment for veterans with psychological trauma caused by sexual abuse or harassment that occurred during military service.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Hold the Low-Yield Nuclear Explosive Act or the Hold the LYNE Act This bill prohibits the Department of Defense or the Department of Energy from using funds for the research and development, production, or deployment of the Trident D5 low-yield nuclear warhead.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
National Heritage Area Act of 2019 This bill establishes a National Heritage Areas System to recognize certain areas of the United States that tell nationally significant stories and to conserve, enhance, and interpret the areas' natural, historic, scenic, and cultural resources that illustrate significant aspects of U.S. heritage. Through such system, the Department of the Interior may provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of such areas. The system shall be comprised of such areas designated by Congress under this bill; such areas designated after enactment of this bill, unless the law designating the area exempts it from inclusion in the system; 49 specified areas; and any other national heritage areas designated before this bill's enactment. National heritage areas shall not be considered to be units of the National Park System. Interior shall (1) undertake studies as directed by Congress to assess the feasibility of designating proposed national heritage areas; (2) approve or disapprove the management plan prepared by the local coordinating entity for an area; and (3) evaluate the accomplishments of an area every 10 years after its designation and submit a recommendation on whether federal funding for such area should be continued, reduced, or eliminated.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 This bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China. The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2020-FY2022, by reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2019 or the Autism CARES Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and revises several programs and activities relating to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Among other things, the bill reauthorizes provisions relating to (1) expanded ASD research at the National Institutes of Health; (2) ASD education, early detection, and intervention activities supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration; and (3) the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. The bill also generally revises the scope of such programs and activities to encompass ASD individuals of all ages, rather than only youth.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing 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.) The CMS must take certain factors into account during negotiations, including the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the drug, the financial burden on patients, and unmet patient needs. If the CMS is unable to negotiate the price of a drug, such drug is subject to competitive licensing in order to further its sale under Medicare, notwithstanding existing government-granted exclusivities. Additionally, for one year after a drug is provided under a competitive license, such drug is also subject to specified price limitations; if the drug is not offered at such prices, the drug is subject to additional licensing that furthers its sale under any federal program (e.g., Medicaid).
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Shut Down Child Prison Camps Act The bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from operating unlicensed temporary emergency shelters for unaccompanied alien children, including the previously operational shelter in Tornillo, Texas, and the shelter in Homestead, Florida.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Supreme Court Ethics Act This bill establishes a new statutory requirement for the Judicial Conference of the United States (Judicial Conference) to issue a judicial code of conduct for judges and justices of U.S. courts (including Justices of the Supreme Court). Currently, the Judicial Conference issues a code of conduct for judges of U.S. courts (but not for Justices of the Supreme Court).
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
American Food for American Schools Act of 201 9 This bill requires school food authorities (SFAs) to request a waiver from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to purchase foreign commodities or products for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). SFAs may purchase foreign commodities or products without a waiver if the commodities or products are not produced or available domestically. (Under current law, Buy American provisions require SFAs to purchase, to the maximum extent practicable, domestic commodities or products for the NSLP. There are limited exceptions which permit the purchase of foreign products in circumstances when using domestic products is truly not practicable. If an SFA uses an exception, there is no requirement to request a waiver to purchase a foreign product or commodity, but the SFA must keep documentation justifying the exception.) USDA may not provide a waiver for an SFA to purchase foreign commodities or products unless (1) the commodities or products are not produced domestically in sufficient amounts or of satisfactory quality, (2) the domestic commodities or products would be significantly higher in price than foreign commodities or products, and (3) the SFA agrees to make the waiver publicly available on its website and email a notification of the waiver to parents or guardians of students who will be served the foreign commodity or product purchased pursuant to the waiver.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act This bill establishes that a foreign nongovernmental organization shall not be disqualified from receiving certain U.S. international development assistance solely because the organization provides medical services using non-U.S. government funds if the medical services are legal in both the United States and the country in which they are being provided. Such foreign organizations shall not be subject to requirements relating to their use of non-U.S. funds for advocacy or lobbying activities, other than those that apply to U.S. nongovernmental organizations. Current U.S. policy prohibits various foreign assistance from going to a foreign nongovernmental organization unless it agrees to not perform or actively promote abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Employer Participation in Repayment Act of 2019 This bill expands the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to include payments of qualified education loans by an employer to either an employee or a lender.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Veteran Spouses Equal Treatment Act This bill amends the definition of spouse for purposes of veterans' benefits to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recognize a marriage based on the law of the state where the marriage occurred. When a marriage occurs outside a state, the VA shall recognize it if the marriage is lawful in the place where it occurs and could have been entered into under the laws of any state. The bill also amends the definitions of spouse and surviving spouse to remove the requirement that the spouse be of the opposite sex.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act This bill prohibits funds made available to federal departments or agencies from being used to introduce the Armed Forces of the United States into hostilities with Venezuela, except pursuant to (1) a declaration of war, (2) a specific statutory authorization that meets the requirements of the War Powers Resolution and is enacted after the enactment of this bill, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States or the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Protecting Sensitive Locations Act This bill prohibits immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a sensitive location unless there are exigent circumstances or if written prior approval has been obtained from certain officials. Sensitive locations include health care facilities; schools and school bus stops; places that provide assistance for people such as children, pregnant women, and abuse victims; places that provide disaster or emergency services; places of worship; courthouses and lawyers' offices; and public assistance offices. The prohibition shall apply to Department of Homeland Security officers and agents, as well as state employees pursuing immigration enforcement actions. If an enforcement action is carried out in violation of this prohibition (1) no information resulting from the action may be entered into the record in a resulting removal proceeding, and (2) the affected alien may move to immediately terminate such a proceeding. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall annually report to Congress about enforcement actions taken at sensitive locations in the preceding year.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2019 This bill requires information to be provided to the public about the risks associated with the improper use of E 15 fuel in certain vehicles, engines, and equipment. The bill defines E 15 as gasoline containing 15% ethanol. Specifically, the bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise labeling requirements for fuel pumps that dispense E 15 fuel, including by requiring the labels of such fuel pumps to include additional details. The labels must include warning information about vehicles, engines, and equipment (e.g., boats, lawn mowers, chain saws, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and pre-2001 model year vehicles) that are prohibited from using E 15. In addition, the EPA must implement a public education campaign concerning the risks associated with the improper use of E 15 fuel in such vehicles, engines, and equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 201 9 This bill modifies requirements for tax-favored retirement savings accounts, employer-provided retirement plans, and retirement benefits for federal judges. With respect to employer-provided plans, the bill modifies requirements regarding multiple employer plans, automatic enrollment and nonelective contributions, loans, terminating or transferring plans, reporting and disclosure rules, nondiscrimination rules, selecting lifetime income providers, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums. The bill also increases the tax credit for small employer pension plan startup costs and allows a tax credit for small employers that establish retirement plans that include automatic enrollment. With respect to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), the bill treats taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation, repeals the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, and permits any IRA to be a shareholder of any S corporation that is a bank. The bill makes several modifications to retirement benefits for magistrate judges of the U.S. Tax Court and other federal judges. The bill also modifies various tax provisions to reinstate and increase the tax exclusion for benefits provided to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders, revise the required distribution rules for pension plans, increase penalties for failing to file tax or retirement plan returns, and require the Internal Revenue Service to share returns and return information with U.S. Customs Border Protection to administer the heavy vehicle use tax.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2019
Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019 This bill generally allows the developer of a drug or biological product, such as a generic or biosimilar version of a drug, to bring a civil action against the license holder of an approved medication if the holder refuses to make available sufficient quantities of the approved medication for the developer's testing. The bill also establishes affirmative defenses to such a civil action. In addition, the bill authorizes drug manufacturers seeking Food and Drug Administration approval for a generic drug to use alternative methods to develop elements assure safe use of a drug.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2019
Parental Bereavement Act of 2019 or the Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger Act This bill entitles an eligible employee to up to 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period because of the death of a son or daughter. Such an employee may substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay. The bill applies the same leave entitlement to federal employees.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2019
Clean and Efficient Cars Act of 2019 This bill provides statutory authority for rules concerning corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for automobiles with model years 2021 through 2025 and greenhouse gas emission standards for light-duty vehicles (e.g., trucks) with model years 2017 through 2025. Specifically, the bill provides statutory authority for rules issued in 2012 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the CAFE standards and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the greenhouse gas emission standards. NHTSA and the EPA may not take actions that could reduce the stringency of the standards.
![Official portrait of Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000597_200.jpg)