United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2016
School-Based Asthma Management Program Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to add requirements that states must meet to receive a preference for asthma grants. (Currently, the preference is given to states that meet requirements regarding administration of epinephrine to students having severe allergic reactions.) To receive the preference, states must additionally: (1) provide civil liability protection to trained school personnel who administer asthma-related rescue medication to a student with asthma; and (2) require schools to permit trained school personnel to administer asthma-related rescue medication to students with asthma, maintain a supply of asthma-related rescue medication, and have a comprehensive asthma management program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2016 This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize the Act through FY2021. The bill sets forth requirements concerning Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Fund (SRF) projects, including mandates for the use of bond sales, mandates to produce goods in the United States, and mandates to provide prevailing wages to laborers and mechanics. The bill makes changes to provisions that states must include in their Intended Use Plans, including data on variances, exemptions, and persistent violations. The bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide additional assistance to public water systems that serve disadvantaged communities. The bill increases the portion of SRF funds that states may reserve to provide technical assistance to public water systems. Additionally, the bill increases the funds that may be reserved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. The EPA must: (1) study the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in drinking water sources, (2) establish requirements for electronic submission of compliance monitoring data by public water systems, (3) collect data on best practices for administration of SRF programs, (4) implement a certification program for effective water leak control technology, (5) develop a strategic plan for assessing and managing the risks of drought to drinking water, (6) establish a grant program to assist water systems in improving drinking water resiliency and sustainability, and (7) establish a grant program to remove lead service lines from public water systems.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month. Recognizes and honors the women and organizations in the United States that have fought for and continue to promote the teaching of women's history.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2016
Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appoint or provide counsel at government expense to aliens in removal proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall provide an alien in removal proceedings with all relevant documents in its possession, unless the alien has knowingly waived the right to such documents. In the absence of a waiver a removal proceeding may not proceed until the alien has received, and had time to review, the documents. DOJ may appoint or provide counsel to aliens in any INA proceeding. DHS shall ensure that aliens have access to counsel inside all immigration detention and border facilities. DOJ shall appoint counsel, at government expense if necessary, for an unaccompanied alien child or a particularly vulnerable individual. If DOJ has consolidated any such alien's case with that of any other alien, and that other alien does not have counsel, then the appointed counsel shall be appointed to represent the other alien as well. DHS shall: (1) facilitate access to counsel for all aliens detained in facilities under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and (2) establish procedures to ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all detained aliens, including aliens held in CBP facilities. DOJ shall develop and administer a two-year pilot program at not fewer than two immigration courts to grant access to legal information to non-detained aliens with pending asylum claims. DHS shall establish a pilot program to increase the court appearance rates of unaccompanied alien children and particularly vulnerable individuals by contracting with nongovernmental, community-based organizations to provide such aliens with case management services. The pilot program shall not be used to monitor individuals designated as unaccompanied alien children under the Homeland Security Act. If DOJ fails to appoint counsel for an unaccompanied alien child or vulnerable person: (1) no limitation pertaining to the filing of any motion to reopen the removal proceeding shall apply, and (2) the filing of such a motion shall stay the removal of the alien.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Recognizes the historical significance of February 19, 1942, the date Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Roosevelt, restricting the freedom of Japanese Americans, German Americans, and Italian Americans, and legal resident aliens through required identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal property, and incarceration. Expresses support for the goals of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of such events.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2016 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and maintain a voluntary patient registry to monitor, collect, and make available epidemiological information related to cancer incidence and trends among firefighters. The CDC should seek to include specified information in the registry, including the number and type of fire incidents attended by an individual. To collect information for the registry, the CDC may incorporate questions into existing public health surveys, questionnaires, and other databases. The CDC must: (1) encourage the inclusion in the registry of data on minority, female, and volunteer firefighters; and (2) seek feedback on the registry from nonfederal experts. The CDC must develop an approval process for making registry data available for research without a fee if findings or publications derived from the research are made public or available to stakeholders.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Hallways to Health Act This bill amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program [CHIP]) of the Social Security Act to: establish a grant program for school-based health centers to, with respect to children who are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP, facilitate access to services and encourage the adoption of healthy behaviors; establish a demonstration program for the provision or expansion of telehealth services in school-based health centers; and require state Medicaid and CHIP programs to cover services furnished by school-based health centers. In addition, the bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize through FY2021 and revise school-based health center programs. The bill also amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to specify that school-based health centers are essential community providers for purposes of inclusion in a qualified health plan.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act or the BRACE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for railroad track maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an exclusion from gross income of the value of any water conservation and efficiency measure or water runoff management improvement (or any subsidy, rebate, or other amount for such a measure or improvement) received from a water department. A "water department" means any entity (including a public or private utility, the federal government, or a state or local government) engaged in the provision of water to the public through pipes or other conveyances or in the collection, treatment, management, or disposal of storm water or waste water generated by the public.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2016
Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow a pharmacist to partially fill a prescription for a schedule II controlled substance (such as a prescription opioid painkiller) at the request of a prescribing practitioner or patient. A pharmacist must record the partial filling in the same manner as a full filling, update the record with each partially filled prescription, and notify the prescribing practitioner. The total quantity dispensed in partial fillings must not exceed the total quantity prescribed. The remaining portion of a partially filled prescription may be filled and must be exhausted prior to, or on the same date that such prescription, if fully filled, would have been exhausted.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2016
Hate Crimes Prevention Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit firearm sale or transfer to and receipt or possession by an individual who has: (1) been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or (2) received an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence. It defines "misdemeanor hate crime" as a misdemeanor offense that has, as an element, that the conduct was motivated by hate or bias because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person. An "enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence" is an enhanced sentence imposed for a misdemeanor that is based, in whole or in part, on conduct motivated by hate or bias because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: the trial and conviction of 50 African-American sailors for mutiny in connection with their service at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Concord, California, during World War II were wrongfully pursued because of racial prejudice; and Congress should publicly exonerate the 50 sailors to further aid in healing the racial divide that continues to exist in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2016 This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) to every state that expands Medicaid coverage for individuals who are newly eligible under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Under current law, the enhanced FMAP is equivalent to 100% in 2014 through 2016, 95% in 2017, 94% in 2018, 93% in 2019, and 90% thereafter. The bill retains this enhanced FMAP, but bases it on a term of years rather than on specific dates. The bill applies retroactively.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in recognition and celebration of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The coins shall be in the shape of a dome, and the design on the common reverse of the coins shall depict a basketball. Treasury shall hold a competition to determine the design of the common obverse of the coins, which shall be emblematic of the game of basketball. The bill requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by Treasury to the Hall to fund an endowment for its operations.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill increases the rates of basic pay for federal employees under the statutory pay systems (relating to the General Schedule, the U.S. Foreign Service, and the Veterans Health Administration) and for prevailing rate employees by 3.9% for FY2017. The percentage adjustment for locality-based comparability payments for calendar year 2017 shall be an increase of 1.4%.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2016
Underground Gas Storage Safety Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prescribe minimum safety standards, meeting specified requirements, for underground gas storage facilities. A state authority may, however, adopt additional or more stringent safety standards for intrastate underground gas storage facilities. Until final standards are prescribed, all underground natural gas storage facilities shall comply with certain minimum requirements, including those in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and aquifer reservoirs and those in solution-mined salt caverns. DOT shall make grants for research and development activities relating to: (1) improved underground gas storage safety, or (2) an odorant additive for gas that is both detectable and nontoxic. A user fee shall be imposed on each operator of an underground gas storage facility to which specified safety requirements apply.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2016
Extend Excellence in Mental Health Act of 2016 This bill amends the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 to extend and expand the Medicaid community mental health services demonstration program. Under current law, the program is limited to no more than eight states. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall extend an existing program and may expand the number of programs if, with respect to the requesting state, CMS determines that: (1) the state's participation in the program will measurably improve access to, and participation in, specified behavioral health services; and (2) the state is in full compliance with specified reporting requirements. The bill also specifies that, for purposes of implementing specified CMS guidance on demonstration program testing, a "clinical visit" includes on-site behavioral health services, certain community services, and telehealth services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2016
Expand Excellence in Mental Health Act of 2016 This bill amends the Promoting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 to increase, from 8 to 24, the number of states that may be selected to participate in Medicaid demonstration programs to improve community mental health services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2016
United States Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Protection Act This bill authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to seek compensation from individuals or entities for costs or damages for destroying, causing the loss of, or injuring any living, nonliving, historical, cultural, or archaeological resource on land managed by the USFWS, or for causing the USFWS to carry out actions to prevent, minimize, or abate such destruction, loss, or injury. Amounts recovered as a result of such destruction, loss, or injury must be made available to USFWS to: (1) reimburse response costs and damage assessments; (2) restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of a resource that was destroyed, lost, or injured; or (3) monitor and study those resources.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Lake Berryessa Recreation Enhancement Act of 2016 This bill establishes as the Lake Berryessa Recreation Area specified land administered by the Bureau of Reclamation that is underlying or adjacent to Lake Berryessa in California, including any improvements. The bill transfers the administrative jurisdiction over the area from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior. Interior shall develop a management plan for the area and may establish guidelines and restrictions on recreational uses to ensure the safety and security of recreational users. Interior may also issue recreation concession permits, including at the area, to allow a third party to provide facilities and services to visitors on lands and waters managed by the BLM in support of outdoor recreational opportunities. Reclamation shall continue to administer and operate the Monticello Dam and any related facility, including any power facility.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Public Health Emergency Preparedness Act This bill provides $5 billion in supplemental appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Public Health Emergency Fund. The bill designates the funds as an emergency requirement, and provides that the funds are only available if the President subsequently designates the funds. (Emergency spending is exempt from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules.) HHS may use the funds provided by this bill to acquire products such as drugs, vaccines and other biological products, and medical devices for deposit into the Strategic National Stockpile. The bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to exempt the Public Health Emergency Fund from sequestration, which is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2016
Make It In America Manufacturing Communities Act This bill establishes a program to improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing by designating consortiums as manufacturing communities and authorizing federal agencies to provide them with financial and technical assistance. The Department of Commerce must designate consortiums as manufacturing communities using a competitive process and specified criteria. An eligible consortium must: represent a region that is large enough to contain critical elements of the key technologies or supply chain prioritized by the consortium and small enough to enable close collaboration among the consortium's members; include at least one institution of higher education, a private sector entity, and a government entity; and have a lead applicant that is a district organization, an Indian tribe, a state or political subdivision of a state, an institution of higher education, or a nonprofit organization or association cooperating with a political subdivision of a state. Specified federal agencies may support the manufacturing communities by awarding them financial or technical assistance, providing preferential consideration when members of the consortium apply for assistance, or providing a federal point of contact to help members access assistance. Recipients of the financial or technical assistance may use the funds to improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing with investments that may include infrastructure, access to capital, promotion of exports and foreign direct investment, equipment upgrades, workforce training, energy or process efficiency, and other specified purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Safe Drinking Water Act Improved Compliance Awareness Act This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require public water systems to notify their customers of lead concentration levels in drinking water that exceed lead limits under national primary drinking water regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must notify customers of a violation of a national primary drinking water regulation with significant potential to have serious adverse effects on human health as a result of acute exposure, if the state or the public water system fails to notify the public within 24 hours of receiving notice from the EPA of the exceedance. Community water systems' consumer confidence reports must include a definition of "action level," which is generally a certain contaminant level that triggers a requirement for the public water system to take additional actions to control corrosion. The EPA must establish a strategic plan for conducting targeted outreach, education, technical assistance, and risk communication to populations affected by lead in the public water system. EPA employees must forward to the public water system any data indicating that drinking water contains lead that exceeds limits. The public water system must then disseminate to its customers information on the exceedance of a lead limit, its potential adverse effects on human health, corrective steps underway, and advice on whether customers should seek alternative water supplies. The EPA must disseminate the information if the public water system or the state fails to do so. The EPA must: (1) make information about lead in drinking water available to the public, and (2) carry out targeted outreach strategies that focus on educating groups that are at greater risk than the general population for adverse health effects from exposure to lead in drinking water.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Families of Flint Act This bill provides support for Flint, Michigan in addressing lead in the city's drinking water and related issues. The bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by establishing a 10-year grant program to ensure that Flint's drinking water does not contain: (1) lead levels that threaten public health or the environment, or (2) other drinking water contaminants and pathogens that threaten public health. The bill also establishes specified grant programs for assisting Flint that are established within the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bill amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, by allowing states to use more than 20% of funds from Drinking Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants for addressing a threat to public health from heightened exposure to lead in a municipal drinking water supply if a federal or state emergency declaration has been issued for that threat. HHS must establish in Flint a Center of Excellence on Lead Exposure. The bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase the allowable participation period in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children for children residing in areas that are in a state of emergency. A state may elect to allow those children to participate in the program for a period that ends on the earlier of: (1) the child's tenth birthday (currently fifth), or (2) five years after the emergency (currently children may participate for a one-year period).
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Youth Sports Concussion Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should review the National Academies' report on sports-related concussions and future research in such area for any matter that may impact products under the CPSC's jurisdiction or inform the FTC's efforts to protect consumers. The bill makes it unlawful to sell or offer for sale in interstate commerce, or import into the United States for such purposes, athletic sporting equipment for which the seller or importer makes any deceptive claim with respect to the safety benefits of such item. Violations shall be treated as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The bill sets forth the enforcement authority of the FTC. States may bring civil actions in federal court to obtain injunctive relief on behalf of state residents unless a civil or administrative action has already been instituted by the FTC. The FTC may intervene and appeal in state actions.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Commemorates Representatives Sam Johnson and John Lewis for their patriotic service and sacrifice to the country they love and for becoming the first ever recipients of the Congressional Patriot Award.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
EPS Improvement Act of 2016 This bill amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to exclude from energy conservation standards for external power supplies any power supply circuit, driver, or device designed to power certain light-emitting diodes or to power ceiling fans using direct current motors. The Department of Energy may prescribe energy conservation standards for that equipment no earlier than one year after the date on which a test procedure has been prescribed by using its authority to improve the energy efficiency of electric motors and pumps and other industrial equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act or the CONNECT for Health Act This bill amends titles XI (General Provisions) and XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand and modify the use of telehealth and remote patient monitoring services under Medicare. The bill establishes a telehealth and remote patient monitoring services "bridge" demonstration waiver program, through which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall waive certain limitations as a condition of Medicare payment to eligible providers of telehealth services. CMS shall also waive such limitations as a condition of Medicare payment for telehealth services with respect to providers participating in qualifying alternative payment models. With regard to individuals with certain chronic conditions, telehealth services shall be covered under Medicare as medical and other health services, rural health clinic services, or federally qualified health center (FQHC) services, as the case may be. A Medicare beneficiary determined to have end stage renal disease (ESRD) and receiving home dialysis may elect to receive certain required monthly ESRD-related visits via telehealth if the beneficiary receives an in-person examination at least once every three months. For purposes of Medicare payment for telehealth services: (1) a rural health clinic or FQHC may serve as a distant site whose clinician furnishes such services, and (2) certain requirements for originating sites shall not apply with respect to specified stroke-related services or to specified Native American health service facilities. A Medicare Advantage (MA) plan may use telehealth services to provide benefits under the original Medicare fee-for-service program option. Specified limitations are waived with regard to such services furnished under an MA plan.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act This bill provides FY2016 supplemental appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address heroin and opioid drug abuse. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. For DOJ, the bill provides funds for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs. For HHS, the bill provides funds for: the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2016
Comprehensive Behavioral Health Reform and Recovery Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to revise Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) authorities, oversight, and programs, including to establish various grant programs. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Education must: (1) organize a national awareness campaign regarding serious mental illness, and (2) support a public health approach to mental health services. This bill amends the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act to require HHS to carry out activities regarding disclosure of the protected health information of individuals with mental or substance use disorders. This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to require state Medicaid plans to cover specified services, including same day primary care and mental health care services. Title XVIII (Medicare) of the SSAct is revised, including to eliminate the lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services. HHS must award grants for programs and services, including telehealth services provided by psychiatrists or psychologists. The bill provides liability protection to certain health professional volunteers. HHS must maintain a Minority Fellowship Program for mental and substance use disorder treatment professionals to improve services for racial and ethnic minority populations. The bill makes occupational therapists eligible for the National Health Service Corps. The bill revises provisions regarding parity between mental health and substance use disorder benefits and medical and surgical benefits. This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act, including to require practitioners to complete training before dispensing opioids, which are drugs with effects similar to opium, such as certain pain medications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must provide support to entities to improve drug overdose surveillance and reporting. HHS must establish a loan repayment program for substance use disorder health professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2016
Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act This bill amends the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to repeal provisions that prohibit state or federal civil actions or administrative proceedings from being brought against firearm or ammunition manufacturers, sellers, importers, dealers, or trade associations for criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm by the person bringing the action or a third party. The bill lifts the immunity from legal process of the Firearms Trace System database maintained by the National Trace Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In state or federal civil actions or administrative proceedings, the contents of the database: (1) shall be subject to discovery and admissible as evidence; and (2) may be used, relied on, or disclosed in any manner. Testimony or other evidence may also be permitted based on that data.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2016
Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Reduction Act This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to revise requirements for and limitations on practitioners who dispense narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish grant programs to: (1) encourage prescribing and purchase of opioid overdose reversal drugs (e.g., naloxone), and (2) develop prescribing guidelines for such drugs. (Opioids are drugs with effects similar to opium, such as heroin or certain pain medications.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must provide support to improve drug overdose surveillance and reporting capabilities. HHS may support syringe exchange programs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must provide support to: (1) reduce drug overdose deaths; and (2) develop, expand, and enhance substance use recovery support services. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to extend residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women. The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment must: (1) carry out a pilot program to support services for pregnant and postpartum women with a substance use disorder; (2) award grants to expand treatment activities in areas with a high rate of, or a rapid increase in, the use of opioids; and (3) support increasing the capacity of substance use disorder services for adolescents. This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and Internal Revenue Code to direct HHS and the Departments of Labor and the Treasury to require disclosures, issue guidance, conduct audits, and publish information regarding the requirement for group health plans and health insurance coverage to have parity between mental health and substance use disorder benefits and medical and surgical benefits. HHS must establish a consumer parity portal website. HHS must establish a loan repayment program for substance use disorder health professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2016
Commends the cooperative owners and the employees of the Farm Credit System for their continuing service in meeting the credit and financial-services needs of rural communities and agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2016
Behavioral Health Care Integration Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to replace a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) program to support demonstration projects for providing integrated health care to certain patient populations with a program to support integration of primary and behavioral health care. The program must be designed to lead to full collaboration between primary care and behavioral health providers in the same facility to ensure support for individuals with mental illness and a physical condition or substance use disorder. Under the program, grants and cooperative agreements may be awarded to state departments of health, state mental health or addiction agencies, state Medicaid agencies, and health care providers and institutions. Recipients must report to SAMHSA on progress in reducing barriers to integrated care and outcomes for certain patient populations.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2016
Expresses support for the designation of DIPG Awareness Week. ("DIPG" is diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a terminal childhood brain cancer.) Encourages the National Cancer Institute and other research funders 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 · 5 January 2016
Condemns the unlawful, armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon and calls on those involved to end their occupation and surrender to law enforcement authorities immediately.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Expresses condolences for the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes. Declares that the House of Representatives: confirms its dedication to the rights and dignity of all citizens; denounces the increase of hate speech and hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim; and recognizes the positive contributions made by the U.S. Muslim community to U.S. society. Declares that the civil rights and liberties of all U.S. citizens, including Muslims in the United States, should be protected. Urges law enforcement authorities to work to prevent hate crimes and to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes. Reaffirms the inalienable rights of every citizen to live without fear and intimidation and to practice freedom of faith.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and Internal Revenue Code to direct the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury to require group health plans and health insurers to disclose the analyses performed to ensure compliance of plans or coverage with the law and regulations. Disclosures must include findings and conclusions regarding whether nonquantitative treatment limitations (e.g., tiered benefits, step therapy, or preauthorization) applied to mental health or substance use disorder benefits are comparable to, and applied no more stringently than, such limitations on medical and surgical benefits. HHS, Labor, and Treasury must: (1) issue guidance on the process for current and potential participants and beneficiaries to file formal complaints of plans or insurers being in violation of the requirement for parity between mental health and substance use disorder benefits and medical and surgical benefits, (2) conduct audits of plans and insurers to determine compliance with parity requirements and publish information from those audits, and (3) publish information on denials of claims by plans and insurers for mental health and substance use disorder services compared to denials of claims for medical and surgical services. HHS must establish a consumer parity portal website that allows for submission of complaints and provides information to consumers on parity. The Government Accountability Office must report on HHS, Labor, and Treasury efforts to enforce parity.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Assault Weapons Ban of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is: (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; or (4) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. Additionally, the bill does not prohibit, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: 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, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The legislation amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to require law enforcement agencies to be notified when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a grandfathered SAW. It also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Medicare and Medicaid Improvements and Adjustments Act of 2015 This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to modify payment rules and other provisions related to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The bill includes off-campus outpatient department (OPD) services in Medicare's prospective payment system (in which predetermined amounts form the basis of payment) with respect to departments that are under development. The existing Medicare payment adjustment for cancer hospitals shall apply to off-campus OPDs. The bill temporarily prohibits specified Medicare payment adjustments related to competitive acquisition programs for certain wheelchair accessories. In addition, the bill modifies provisions related to: (1) reimbursement under Medicare for certain drugs furnished through durable medical equipment (DME), (2) Medicare payment rules for certain radiation therapy services, and (3) the treatment of Medicaid supplemental needs trusts. The bill expands criminal penalties and civil monetary penalties for certain acts involving federal health care programs. With respect to negative Medicare payment adjustments for physicians and hospitals that fail to comply with certain requirements related to electronic health records (EHR), the bill authorizes a temporary blanket exception. A patient encounter occurring at an ambulatory surgical center shall not be used to determine whether an eligible professional qualifies as a meaningful EHR user. This prohibition applies until a specified period has passed following a determination by the Department of Health and Human Services that certified EHR technology is applicable to that setting. Current law limits state reimbursement for DME under Medicaid to Medicare payment rates beginning January 1, 2019. The bill accelerates this limitation such that it begins October 1, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2015
This bill amends: (1) the Department of Energy Organization Act to revise the definition of "minority" to mean any U.S. citizen who is an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Native American, or Alaska Native; and (2) the Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976 to revise the definition of "minority group members" (who own minority group enterprises) to mean U.S. citizens who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders, African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Alaska Natives.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Women's Pension Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to: (1) extend spousal consent requirements to defined contribution pension plans, and (2) allow certain long-term part-time workers to participate in pension plans that include either a qualified cash or deferred arrangement or a salary reduction agreement. Financial product or service providers who sell retirement financial products or services must provide purchasers of their products or services an easily accessible link to the website of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection to obtain information relating to retirement planning or later life economic security. The Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor shall award grants to certain community-based organizations to improve the financial literacy of women who are working age or in retirement.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Recognizes the 67th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the celebration of Human Rights Day. Supports the ideals of human rights and reaffirms the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Encourages all nations to continue working towards freedom, peace, and security which can be achieved only through democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
CLEANER Act of 2015 or the Closing Loopholes and Ending Arbitrary and Needless Evasion of Regulations Act of 2015 This bill amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to eliminate the exemption for waste derived from the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy from regulations governing the disposal of hazardous waste. Within a year of this bill's enactment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must: determine whether waste associated with oil, gas, or geothermal energy activities meet the criteria promulgated for the identification or listing of hazardous waste; identify or list as hazardous waste any of those wastes if they meet the identification or listing criteria; and promulgate regulations regarding standards applicable to generators, transporters, and owners and operators of facilities for the treatment, storage, or disposal of those wastes. The EPA may modify the regulation of those standards to consider the special characteristics of those wastes so long as the modified regulations protect human health and the environment. Within a year of this bill's enactment, the EPA must promulgate revisions of certain criteria concerning landfills and waste management practices of open dumping for facilities that may receive wastes that are: (1) associated with those activities, and (2) not identified or listed as hazardous waste. Those revisions must: protect human health and the environment, while allowing consideration of the practicable capability of such facilities; and require groundwater monitoring as necessary to detect contamination; establish criteria for the acceptable location of new or existing facilities; and provide for corrective action and financial assurance as appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Spectrum Challenge Prize Act of 2015 This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to conduct prize competitions to accelerate the development and commercialization of technology that improves spectrum efficiency and is capable of cost-effective deployment. Not more than $5 million, in the aggregate, may be awarded to prize competition winners. The Federal Communications Commission must publish a technical paper providing criteria that may be used for the design of such competitions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Denounces the attacks on health care centers for women, providers of health care for women, and patients. Affirms that all women have the right to access reproductive health care services without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2015
Food Recovery Act of 2015 This bill amends the following to provide funding, expand tax deductions, and establish requirements to reduce food waste: the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act; the Internal Revenue Code; the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; the Solid Waste Disposal Act; and several agricultural laws. The bill expands and establishes federal grant and loan programs to: improve the nutritional health of children and raise awareness about food waste, improve cooperation between agricultural producers and emergency feeding organizations, assist schools in using food from farms that would otherwise go to waste and providing farms with compostable materials, and install facilities that include composting or anaerobic digesters that use food or crop waste to produce energy. Recipients of grants to install anaerobic digesters that use waste to produce energy must meet specified requirements regarding environmental laws and the distribution of certain food to hunger-serving organizations. USDA must: (1) establish an Office of Food Recovery to coordinate federal programs to measure and reduce food waste, and (2) study techniques for decreasing food waste and estimating the amount of food wasted by farms. The bill provides that composting is a conservation practice eligible for support under USDA's conservation programs. The bill extends and expands tax deductions for the donation of food to charitable organizations. "Sell-by" dates included on food labeling must indicate that the dates are only the manufacturer's suggestion and use uniform language. Companies that receive food service contracts with the federal government must donate surplus food to nonprofit organizations that assist food-insecure people.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Affirms that the U.S.-Israel economic partnership has benefitted both countries and is a foundational component of the strong alliance. Recognizes that science and technology innovation present new frontiers for U.S.-Israel economic cooperation, particularly in light of widespread drought, cybersecurity attacks, and other major challenges impacting the United States. Encourages the Administration to expand forums of economic dialogue with Israel. Supports the exploration of new agreements with Israel, including in the fields of energy, water, agriculture, medicine, neurotechnology and cybersecurity.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Expresses support for: (1) equal rights and protections for all people, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; and (2) the designation of LGBT Equality Day. Acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure that people in the United States are free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Fair and Clear Campaign Transparency Act This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission to require online public inspection files that must be uploaded to the Internet by television broadcast stations, AM or FM radio broadcast stations, cable operators, direct broadcast satellite service providers, or satellite digital audio radio service providers to be made available to the public in a machine-readable format that supports automated searching, bulk downloading, aggregation, manipulation, and sorting. Public inspection files include political files that contain records of requests to purchase broadcast time by or on behalf of candidates for public office or to communicate a message relating to a political matter of national importance.
![Official portrait of Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001163_200.jpg)