United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
VA Community Infrastructure Act This bill authorizes a 10-year pilot program under which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may assist state and local governments in addressing deficiencies in community infrastructure that is supportive of VA medical facilities by making grants, concluding cooperative agreements, and supplementing funds available under other federal programs. Community infrastructure includes any (1) transportation project; (2) flood or natural disaster mitigation project; (3) hospital, police, fire, emergency response, or other community support facility; or (4) utility infrastructure projects owned by a state or local government. Assistance shall be available where the VA determines such assistance will enhance the resilience of the medical facility or quality of life of veterans eligible to receive care at such facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2019
Drone Backlog Reduction Act This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to establish an Unmanned Aircraft System Waiver Task Force to process applications submitted for determinations, assessments, and waivers for small unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones) to reduce the backlog and processing time of outstanding waiver or exemption applications.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Protecting Home Oxygen and Medical Equipment Act of 2019 or the Protecting HOME Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to apply specified payment adjustments for durable medical equipment under Medicare. The bill also excludes the creation of separate payment classes and monthly payment rates for oxygen items under Medicare from certain budget neutrality requirements.
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 · 15 May 2019
Bipartisan Disaster Recovery Funding Act of 2019 This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget, within 60 days, to release certain funding awarded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for mitigation activities under the Community Development Block Grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Abortion Is Not Health Care Act of 2019 This bill prohibits expenses for an abortion from being taken into account for the purpose of the tax deduction for medical expenses.
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 · 9 May 2019
Purple Heart Freedom to Work Act This bill increases the monthly income limit that is used to determine whether certain Purple Heart recipients are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Specifically, when making such determinations with respect to Purple Heart recipients who are entitled to SSDI benefits based on combat-related injuries, the Social Security Administration must use the limit that applies to individuals who are blind rather than the lower limit that applies to other SSDI recipients. In addition, the bill phases out SSDI benefits for these Purple Heart recipients, with benefits reduced by $1 for every $4 of earnings in excess of the limit.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Home Health Payment Innovation Act of 2019 This bill makes a series of changes relating to payment and coverage of home health services under Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA). Specifically, the bill allows the home-confinement requirement (also known as the homebound requirement) for home health services to be waived under Medicare and MA. Currently, as a condition of eligibility for such services, a physician must certify that an individual has difficulty leaving home without assistance (e.g., a wheelchair, special transportation, or help from another person) due to an illness or injury. The bill also alters the payment methodology under the Medicare prospective payment system for home health services, including by eliminating the requirement that such methodology include certain behavioral assumptions regarding the implementation of specified changes to units of payment and case-mix adjustment factors.
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 · 1 May 2019
Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act This bill removes certain restrictions on interstate firearms transactions. Among other things, the bill does the following: permits a licensed firearms dealer to sell firearms at an out-of-state gun show, subject to compliance with state laws; and specifies the particular states in which a member of the Armed Forces, or his or her spouse, is a resident for purposes of federal firearms laws.
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
Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress within 60 days indicating (1) whether the Muslim Brotherhood meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization; and (2) if not, which criteria have not been met.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2019
Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2019 or the PRENDA Act of 2019 This bill creates new federal crimes related to the performance of sex-selection abortions (i.e., abortions based on the sex or gender of an unborn child). It subjects a violator to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. It also authorizes civil remedies, including damages and injunctive relief. A woman who undergoes a sex-selection abortion may not be prosecuted or held civilly liable.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Venezuelan Contracting Restriction Act This bill prohibits an executive agency from entering into a contract for the procurement of goods or services with any person that has business operations with an authority of the Venezuelan government that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the U.S. government. (The United States recognizes Juan Guaido as interim President of the legitimate government of Venezuela.)
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act This bill modifies provisions related to theft of firearms. Under current law, it is unlawful to steal a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer, or from their business premises. This bill broadens the scope of unlawful conduct to also prohibit stealing a firearm from a gun range that rents firearms or a shooting club. An attempt to commit an offense is subject to the same penalties as a substantive offense. The bill modifies these penalties by increasing the maximum prison term.
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 · 9 April 2019
Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2019 This bill allows various tax credits, tax deductions, and modifications to existing rules for individuals and businesses affected by certain federally declared disasters that began after January 1, 2018, and before the enactment of this bill. With respect to individuals and businesses in the affected areas, the bill waives the 10% additional tax on certain early distributions from retirement plans, permits individuals to recontribute funds to retirement plans if the funds were distributed for a home purchase that was cancelled on account of a disaster, increases the limit and extends the repayment deadline for loans from retirement plans, allows an employee retention tax credit for employers affected by disasters, temporarily suspends the limitation on tax deductions for charitable contributions for relief efforts in disaster areas, modifies the rules for the deduction for personal casualty losses, allows taxpayers residing in disaster areas to use earned income from the immediately preceding year for the purpose of determining earned income for the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit, and automatically extends tax filing deadlines for taxpayers who have a principal residence or place of business located in a disaster area. The bill also requires the Department of the Treasury to make payments to certain U.S. possessions to either compensate for revenue lost due to specified provisions in the bill or allow residents to benefit from the provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Freedom Financing Act This bill restricts certain banks, credit unions, and payment card networks from refusing to do business with a person based on reputational considerations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
This resolution acknowledges over 85 years of effective state-based alcohol regulation since the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution (repealing Prohibition) and reaffirms the continued support of Congress for policies that allow states to effectively regulate alcohol.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Ensuring a Secure Afghanistan Act This bill prohibits funds made available to the Department of Defense for FY2019 from being used to reduce the number of U.S. Armed Forces members deployed in Afghanistan to below 10,000 unless the Office of the Director of National Intelligence certifies that Taliban leaders have (1) rejected Al Qaeda by name, (2) committed not to fight alongside or have any affiliation with Al Qaeda, and (3) agreed to various conditions such as committing to protecting the rights of women and girls and supporting the Afghan Constitution. The Department of State shall provide briefings to Congress every 30 days regarding any ongoing talks with the Afghan government or the Taliban and the effect of such talks on Armed Forces in Afghanistan.
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
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 · 27 March 2019
Online Sales Simplicity and Small Business Relief Act of 201 9 This bill prohibits states from imposing a sales tax collection duty on certain remote sellers. A "remote seller" is a person without a physical presence in a state who makes a sale in the state. A state may impose a sales tax collection duty on a remote seller only for a sale that occurs after January 1, 2019. In the case of a small business remote seller (no more than $10 million in gross annual receipts in the United States), a state may not impose a sales tax collection duty on any person other than the purchaser if the sale is made (1) on or after June 21, 2018; and (2) before the date that is 30 days after the states develop and Congress approves an interstate compact, applicable to the state and sale, governing the imposition of tax collection duties on remote sellers.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2019 This bill modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo (i.e., without giving deference to the agency's interpretation) all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of (1) constitutional and statutory provisions, and (2) rules made by agencies. No law may exempt a civil action from the standard of review required by this bill except by specific reference to such provision.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
This resolution recognizes the efforts of linemen in keeping the electrical power on and protecting public safety. This resolution also expresses support for the designation of National Lineman Appreciation Day and recognizes linemen as first responders.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
States' Education Reclamation Act of 2019 This bill abolishes the Department of Education (ED) and repeals any program for which it has administrative responsibility. The Department of the Treasury shall provide grants to states, for FY2019-FY2027, for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education purposes permitted by state law. The level of funding is set at the amount provided to states for federal elementary and secondary education programs and the amount provided for federal postsecondary education programs, respectively, for FY2012, minus the funding provided for education programs that this Act transfers to other federal agencies. States must contract for an annual audit of their expenditures or transfers of grant funds. Program administrative responsibility and delegation of authority are transferred as follows: ED's job training programs to the Department of Labor, each special education grant program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), ED's Indian Education programs to the Department of the Interior, each Impact Aid program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to the Department of Defense, the Federal Pell Grant program and each federal student loan program to Treasury, and programs under the jurisdiction of the Institute of Education Sciences or the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program to HHS.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of the Congress regarding the benefits that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies provide to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
This resolution promotes increased public awareness of motorcycle profiling. The resolution also encourages the motorcycle community and law enforcement to collaborate and communicate on efforts to end motorcycle profiling.
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
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the U.S. Supreme Court to be composed of not more than nine Justices.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2019 This bill exempts traditional large and premium cigars from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and from user fees assessed on tobacco products by the FDA.
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 · 25 March 2019
Employee Rights Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to (1) make it an unlawful labor practice for a labor organization to interfere (currently, also restrain or coerce) with the rights of employees to organize and collectively bargain; (2) require union recertification after a turnover in the workforce exceeding 50% of the bargaining unit; (3) require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to give 14 days advance notice before a hearing investigating an election petition; and (4) require an employer to provide the NLRB with a list consisting only of employee names and addresses of all eligible voters within seven days after an NLRB determination of the appropriate bargaining unit or an agreement on eligible voters. The bill (1) grants union and nonunion employees the right to vote by secret ballot on whether to ratify a collective bargaining agreement or engage in a strike, (2) prohibits the use of union dues for any purpose not directly related to collective bargaining, (3) prohibits a strike without the consent of a majority of all represented employees determined by secret ballot, and (4) prohibits the use or threat of force or violence to obtain the right to represent employees. .
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act of 2019 This bill imposes sanctions targeting Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and any affiliate or successor groups. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list of each foreign person or instrumentality that knowingly assists, provides significant support or services to, or is involved in a significant transaction with a senior member or supporter of any of the targeted groups. The President shall impose two or more sanctions on the named persons. Specifically, such a person may be (1) denied credit and services from the Export-Import Bank, (2) barred from purchasing certain controlled defense articles, (3) denied exports of items on the U.S. Munitions List, (4) prevented from receiving exports of certain goods or technology controlled for national security reasons, (5) prohibited from receiving financing of more than $10 million from any U.S. financial institution, or (6) subject to property-blocking restrictions. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list of foreign governments that have repeatedly provided material support for the targeted groups' terrorist activities. The President shall bar such governments from receiving for one year (1) U.S. assistance, or (2) exports of controlled munitions. The Department of Treasury shall instruct U.S. leadership of international financial institutions to oppose the provision of assistance to an identified government for one year. The bill provides for certain exceptions and waivers, such as for transactions that would serve U.S. national interests. The President shall report to Congress and periodically provide briefings on other specified topics related to the targeted groups, such as where such groups secure financing and surveillance equipment.
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 · 21 March 2019
This resolution opposes the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) and other efforts targeting Israel, and states that BDS undermines the possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution urges both sides to return to direct negotiations and expresses support for a solution resulting in the state of Israel existing alongside a democratic Palestinian state.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Horseracing Integrity Act of 2019 This bill establishes the Horseracing Anti-Doping and Medication Control Authority as an independent, private non-profit corporation with responsibility for developing and administering an anti-doping and medication control program for (1) Thoroughbred, Quarter, and Standardbred horses that participate in horse races; and (2) the personnel engaged in the care, training, or racing of such horses. The Federal Trade Commission shall have oversight over the authority. An interstate compact may be established after five years to take over the authority's duties.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Partner with Korea Act This bill creates an E-4 treaty trader visa category for up to 15,000 nationals of South Korea each fiscal year who are coming to the United States solely to perform specialty occupation services, subject to various requirements. The 15,000 limit shall only apply to principal aliens and not the spouses or children of such aliens. A specialty occupation is one that requires the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor's degree or higher.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese To Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act or the DAIRY PRIDE Act This bill prohibits the sale of any food that uses the market name of a dairy product (such as milk , yogurt , or cream cheese ) unless the food (1) is the milk of a hooved animal, (2) is derived from such milk, or (3) contains such milk as a primary ingredient.
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.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Jobs and Opportunity with Benefits and Services for Success Act This bill renames the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program as the Jobs and Opportunity with Benefits and Services (JOBS) program, reauthorizes the program through FY2024, and makes changes relating to work requirements for beneficiaries. States providing aid under the program shall create an individual opportunity plan for each beneficiary. States shall impose work requirements on all work-eligible beneficiaries, and shall reduce benefits for noncompliance. (Currently, individual plans are optional under TANF, and states have discretion as to whether to reduce benefits for noncompliant individuals.) States providing aid shall meet annual performance targets related to the number of beneficiaries who exit the program and find unsubsidized employment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall reduce grants to states that fail to meet such targets. States shall provide data related to beneficiary employment and wages to HHS, which shall be publicly available. The bill modifies various limitations on the use of funds for various purposes, and establishes that at least 25% of funds from various grants shall be spent on core activities. Certain existing laws relating to monitoring and recovering improper benefits payments shall apply to the JOBS program. The bill eliminates programs providing (1) supplemental grants for population increases, (2) bonuses for high performance states, (3) welfare-to-work grants, and (4) contingency funds for state welfare programs.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2019
Agricultural Trucking Relief Act of 2019 This bill revises regulations related to the transportation of agricultural commodities. Specifically, the bill expands the definition of agricultural commodity to include (1) aquaculture, horticultural, and floricultural commodities; (2) fruits; (3) vegetables; (4) any non-human living animal and the products thereof; and (5) other agricultural products that are sensitive to temperature or climate and at risk of perishing in transit. Under current law, an agricultural commodity means any agricultural commodity, non-processed food, feed, fiber, or livestock.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2019
Let Everyone Get Involved in Opportunities for National Service Act This bill authorizes The American Legion to expand membership eligibility to include veterans and service members who served during times that were not designated periods of war. Currently, only veterans and service members who served during periods of time specified by Congress are eligible to join The American Legion.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2019
Veteran Education Empowerment Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to make grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs for the establishment, maintenance, improvement, and operation of veteran student centers. A veteran student center is a dedicated space on a campus that provides students who are veterans or members of the Armed Forces with (1) a lounge or meeting space for themselves, their spouses or partners, their children, and veterans in the community; (2) a centralized office for veteran student services that serves as a single point of contact to coordinate veterans support services; and (3) comprehensive academic and tutoring services to veterans.
![Official portrait of Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/r000603_200.jpg)