United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Providing Pay for Essential Employees Act This bill provides appropriations to pay the salaries and expenses of federal employees who are working during the lapse in appropriations that began on or about December 22, 2018, and resulted in a partial government shutdown.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2019
Combustion Avoidance along Rural Roads Act or the CARR Act This bill exempts wildfire mitigation activities conducted within 300 feet of a road from all laws governing (1) environmental review of proposed agency actions, or (2) protection of endangered or threatened species. Mitigation activities are those that are (1) conducted by Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture; and (2) conducted on federal land that is administered by the National Park System, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Forest Service. Mitigation activities include forest thinning, hazardous fuel reduction, prescribed burning, and vegetation management.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2019
Rebalance for an Effective Defense Uniformed and Civilian Employees Act or the REDUCE Act This bill limits full-time positions in the Department of Defense (DOD), in each of FY2025-FY2029, to not more than 85% of the number of such positions at the end of FY2019. Not more than 1,000 of the positions may be career appointees within the Senior Executive Service. DOD may offer voluntary separation incentive payments and voluntary early retirement payments to achieve the reductions but must use involuntary measures, beginning at the start of FY2021, to achieve required reductions in personnel levels if voluntary measures are inadequate.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Main Street Tax Certainty Act This bill makes permanent the tax deduction for qualified business income. (Under current law, the deduction expires after December 31, 2025.)
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Homeless Veteran Families Act This bill updates the Department of Veterans Affairs per diem payment calculation for entities furnishing services to homeless veterans to include funding for a minor dependent. The rate for per diem payments is the daily cost of care as estimated by the grant recipient or eligible entity. This bill would expand the per diem payment amount for a homeless veteran who has care of a minor dependent to the daily cost of care plus, for each minor dependent, an amount that equals 50% of such daily cost of care.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
This bill revises criminal provisions related to the interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition. An individual may transport a firearm between two places (e.g., states) where it is legal to possess, carry, or transport the firearm. During transport, the firearm must be unloaded and secured or securely stored. Additionally, an individual may transport ammunition, or a detachable magazine or feeding device, between two places where it is legal to possess, carry, or transport the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device. During transport, the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device must not be loaded into a firearm and must be securely stored. The bill prohibits the arrest or detention of an individual for a state or local firearm or ammunition violation unless there is probable cause to believe the individual failed to comply with the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Head Start Improvement Act of 2019 This bill replaces the existing Head Start program with block grants to states and Indian tribes for prekindergarten (pre-K) education. Instead of providing direct financial assistance to Head Start agencies, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall allot block grant funds for pre-K education among eligible states and Indian tribes in accordance with their relative proportions of children, age five and younger, from low-income households. Grant recipients shall use the grant funds to (1) award subgrants to eligible entities that provide pre-K education programs; (2) administer such programs; and (3) provide technical assistance, oversight, monitoring, research, and training. Under current law, HHS is authorized to designate, monitor, and establish standards for Head Start agencies. The bill instead shifts pre-K program oversight and control to states and Indian tribes, which shall have full flexibility to use grant funds to finance the pre-K programs of their choice. In addition, grant recipients may use grant funds to establish portable voucher systems that allow costs to be paid for attendance at private pre-K education programs. Under current law, federal financial assistance for a Head Start program is generally limited to 80% of total program costs. The bill maintains this limitation by requiring grant recipients to provide matching funds equal to 20% of the grant amount.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2019 This bill allows a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. A qualified individual must (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid concealed carry permit issued by any state or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence. Additionally, the bill specifies that a qualified individual who lawfully carries or possesses a concealed handgun in another state (1) is not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone, and (2) may carry or possess the concealed handgun in federally owned lands that are open to the public.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2019 This bill establishes requirements regarding audits of certain financial agencies performed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Specifically, the bill directs the GAO to complete, within 12 months, an audit of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks. In addition, the bill allows the GAO to audit the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks with respect to (1) international financial transactions; (2) deliberations, decisions, or actions on monetary policy matters; (3) transactions made under the direction of the Federal Open Market Committee; and (4) discussions or communications among Federal Reserve officers, board members, and employees regarding any of these matters.
United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2018
Guidance Clarity Act of 2018 This bill requires certain agency documents that are not issued in accordance with the rulemaking process to include a statement that the document is not legally binding.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2018
Protecting American Communities from Wildfire Act This bill sets forth categorical exclusions of specified forest management activities from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement, gives the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management direct authority to carry out activities to reduce hazardous fuels and risk for loss of human life and property within the wildland-urban interface, requires (currently authorizes) the Department of Agriculture to cooperate with state foresters and equivalent state officials for certain forest management and wildfire prevention purposes, modifies the Community and Private Land Fire Assistance Program, and makes permanent the authorization for such cooperative purposes and program.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2018
Expresses: (1) appreciation for the profound public service of former President George H.W. Bush, and (2) deep sympathy to the entire family of the former President.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2018
Veterans and Servicemembers Employment Rights and Housing Act of 2018 This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate based on an individual's military service and amends the Fair Housing Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1968 to prohibit housing discrimination against members of the uniformed services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2018
Build the Wall, Enforce the Law Act of 2018 This bill amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to modify provisions relating to the enforcement of immigration laws. Specifically, the bill prohibits any individual (e.g., an employer) from restricting or interfering with the enforcement of the immigration laws by federal officials. It also denies states or localities (i.e., sanctuary jurisdictions) that fail to cooperate in the enforcement of the immigration laws eligibility for federal funds and law enforcement grants under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The bill amends detainer provisions to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to issue detainers for the arrest of an illegal alien if there is probable cause to believe that the alien is inadmissible or deportable. It also provides qualified immunity to governmental and certain nongovernmental entities that detain an alien, except in cases of mistreatment, and allows a private right of action to relatives of victims of crime committed by an alien released from custody by a state or local governmental entity that failed to honor a detainer. The bill also revises provisions requiring detention of aliens during the pendency of removal proceedings to require indefinite detention of aliens who have committed certain serious crimes; enhances penalties for the criminal offense of reentry after removal; establishes new and specific grounds of inadmissibility and deportability for aliens who are members of designated criminal gangs (consisting of five or more persons); and provides funding for border barriers, technology and other resources at the southern border to prevent illegal entry.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2018
Combustion Avoidance along Rural Roads Act or the CARR Act This bill exempts wildfire mitigation activities conducted within 500 feet of a road from all laws governing (1) environmental review of proposed agency actions, or (2) protection of endangered or threatened species. Mitigation activities are those that are (1) conducted by Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture; and (2) conducted on federal land that is administered by the National Park System, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Forest Service. Mitigation activities include forest thinning, hazardous fuel reduction, prescribed burning, and vegetation management.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2018
Protecting Lands Against Narcotics Trafficking Act of 2018 or the PLANT Act of 2018 This bill sets forth new penalties for the cultivation or manufacture of controlled substances on federal property, enhances penalties for trespassing on property that causes environmental damage, and establishes the California Public Lands Eradication and Remediation Partnership to coordinate activities to remediate lands affected by illegal marijuana cultivation or associated illegal activities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2018
Creating Advancement and Personal Improvement in Targeted American Localities Act of 2018 or the CAPITAL Act of 2018 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow opportunity zones to be designated every 10 years. (Opportunity zones are certain low-income areas in which various tax incentives are available for investments in the zones. Under current law, the existing designations expire after 10 years, and no additional designations are permitted.)
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2018
Water Quality Certification Improvement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to limit the authority of states with respect to water quality certifications. Specifically, the bill limits the authority of states to review federally permitted activities that may result in discharges into navigable waters.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2018
Rural Broadband Connectivity Act of 2018 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for a portion of the cost of a broadband project designed to expand the number of individuals with broadband service in a qualified rural census tract. A "qualified rural census tract" must be designated by the Department of the Treasury as: (1) being rural, and (2) having less than 50% of residents with access to broadband service.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2018
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 44160 State Highway 299 East Suite 1 in McArthur, California, as the "Janet Lucille Oilar Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Expresses opposition to the completion of Nord Stream II, the gas pipeline that would transport natural gas from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. Urges the President to support European energy security through a policy of diversification to lessen reliance on Russia. Supports the imposition of sanctions with respect to Nord Stream II.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Transportation Megaprojects Accountability and Oversight Act of 2018 This bill requires a recipient of assistance under National Highway System provisions for a megaproject (a project that has an estimated total cost of $2.5 billion or more), to submit to the Department of Transportation a comprehensive risk management plan that contains, among other things, a description of the process for identifying, quantifying, and monitoring the risks that might result in cost overruns, delays, reduced construction quality, or reduced benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Finding Orphan-disease Remedies With Antifungal Research and Development Act of 2018 or the FORWARD Act of 2018 This bill establishes a series of programs and requirements relating to certain fungal disease research and treatment, including a grant program to support research on Valley Fever.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents. Expresses support for the people of Iran who are engaged in legitimate and peaceful protests against the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2018
Integration of Baseball Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins in recognition and celebration of the 75th anniversary of the integration of the game of baseball. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges. All surcharges received by Treasury shall be distributed to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with the understanding that the Hall of Fame shall work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation to develop and operate education programs about the integration of the game of baseball and to preserve artifacts related to the integration of the game.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2801 Mitchell Road in Ceres, California, as the "Lance Corporal Juana Navarro Arellano Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
United States Ports of Entry Threat and Operational Review Act This bill directs U.S. Customs and Border Protection to submit to the congressional homeland security and tax committees a threat and operational analysis of U.S. air, land, and sea ports of entry.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
Honoring Veterans' Families Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide inscriptions for deceased spouses and children on certain headstones furnished by the VA.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2018
Weigh Habitats Offsetting Locational Effects Act of 2018 or the WHOLE Act of 2018 This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to revise the process by which the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, as appropriate, reviews an agency action to determine whether the action is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of an endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of the critical habitat of the species. Specifically, the bill requires the appropriate department, when making such a determination, to consider the offsetting effects of protection or conservation measures that are already in place or proposed to be implemented as part of the action.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2018
Stop Takings On Reserves Antithetical to Germane Encapsulation Act of 2018 or the STORAGE Act of 2018 This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce from designating as critical habitat an area in a water storage, diversion, or delivery facility where habitat is periodically created and destroyed as a result of changes in water levels caused by the operation of the facility.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2018
Land Ownership Collaboration Accelerates Life Act of 2018 or the LOCAL Act of 2018 This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide statutory authority for programs that provide incentives for property owners of natural resources to agree to contribute towards the recovery or conservation of endangered or threatened species. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, as appropriate, to enter into: (1) species recovery agreements with property owners who agree to contribute towards the recovery of an endangered or threatened species; and (2) species conservation contract agreements with property owners who agree to contribute towards the conservation of an endangered species, a threatened species, a candidate species, or a species with a comparable designation under state law. The departments must establish a program under which the departments may enter into habitat reserve agreements with property owners to protect or manage habitat for endangered or threatened species. The departments: (1) may provide conservation grants to promote the voluntary conservation of endangered species and threatened species by property owners, (2) must provide financial aid to alleviate the costs of complying with the Act, and (3) may provide technical assistance when requested to enhance the conservation effects of the grants or aid. The bill establishes a Habitat Conservation Planning Loan Program under which the departments may make no-interest loans to assist states and local governments in the development of habitat conservation plans.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2018
Taxpayer Identity Protection Act This bill requires the Internal Revenue Service to submit to Congress a report regarding the Taxpayer Identification Number Perfection Program, including an explanation of the extent to which the information could be used to identify individuals receiving wages without work authorization.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Puerto Rico Admission Act of 2018 This bill establishes a process to enable the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico to be admitted into the Union as a state.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2018
History and Tradition Protection Act of 2018 This bill provides that, regarding a civil action for deprivation of rights under color of law, the remedies with respect to a claim shall be limited to injunctive and declaratory relief where the deprivation consists of a violation of a prohibition in the Constitution against the establishment of religion. No fees shall be awarded in proceedings in vindication of civil rights with respect to such a claim concerning the actions of states and localities. With regard to a claim brought against the United States or a federal official acting in his or her official capacity, the bill prohibits the award of reasonable fees and expenses of attorneys to the prevailing party.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Research and Development Modernization Act This bill modifies the requirement for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to establish programs and perform research related to financial technologies, including to allow the commission to accept gifts and donations for such purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act This bill specifies that individuals with metastatic breast cancer are not subject to certain waiting periods for disability insurance benefits under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program and related Medicare coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
Streamlining Permitting Efficiencies in Energy Development Act or the SPEED Act This bill requires the Department of the Interior to establish procedures by which an oil and gas operator may submit a notification of permit to drill instead of obtaining an application to drill if the proposed drilling activities meet certain criteria.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
E-bonding for Immigration Integrity Act of 2018 This bill requires an alien who is in one of the following nonimmigrant categories to post a bond prior to being issued a U.S. entry visa: (1) an alien who is from a country with a visa overstay rate greater than 1.5%; or (2) a B-visa tourist or business entrant, an F-visa foreign student, an H-1B visa specialty occupation worker, an H-2B visa temporary nonagricultural worker, or a K-visa fiance/fiancee. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall: (1) establish a $2,500-$10,000 bond amount, which shall be reviewed annually, for each visa category based upon overstay risk; and (2) identify nonimmigrant visa category overstay rates, including categories with overstay rates greater than 1.5%. The bill establishes the E-bond Enforcement Fund which shall be funded by forfeited bonds and used to ensure compliance with this bill and to administer enforcement programs. DHS shall report to Congress annually regarding: (1) visa overstay rates by nonimmigrant category, (2) categories with overstay rates greater than 1.5%, (3) bond amounts, and (4) fund information.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2018
Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act This bill requires the Department of Transportation to amend regulations on hours of service for commercial drivers who transport live covered animals (i.e., livestock, honey bees, insects, fish, and crawfish) within a 300 air-mile radius from where the on-duty time of the driver begins. The regulations must: (1) exclude from the driver's on-duty time certain activities, such as loading or unloading a commercial motor vehicle; (2) change the driving time requirement to a maximum of not less than 15, and not more than 18, hours within a 24-hour period; (3) permit the driver to take one or more rest periods during the trip, which shall not be included in the calculation of the driving time; (4) require the driver, after completion of the trip, to take a rest break for a period that is five hours less than the maximum driving time; (5) exclude from the calculation of the driving time up to two additional hours, if the driver is within 150 air-miles of the point of delivery; and (6) make inapplicable the requirement that the driver take a 10-hour rest period before driving.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2018
This bill reauthorizes the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act through FY2023. The Act provides services and support for victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2018
Restoring Access to Public Lands Act This bill releases specified acreage of the Yolla Bolly, Timbered Crater, Lava, Pit River Canyon, Tule Mountain, South Warner Contiguous, Bitterbrush, Buffalo Hills, Twin Peaks, Five Springs, Dry Valley Rim, Skedaddle, and Tunnison Mountain wilderness study areas in California from further review for designation as wilderness.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Small Carrier Electronic Logging Device Exemption Act of 2018 This bill creates an exemption from electronic logging device requirements for motor carriers that own or operate 10 or fewer commercial vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2018
Restoring Accountability in the Indian Health Service Act of 2018 This bill establishes a series of programs and requirements relating to recruitment and retention in the Indian Health Service, including provisions regarding pay, credentialing, and housing needs of workforce personnel.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2018
Mayor Libby Schaaf Act of 2018 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for an officer, employee, or agent of a state or local government to obstruct, hinder, delay, or otherwise impede the enforcement of federal laws, or attempt to do so. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2018
Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2018 This bill requires the House of Representatives and the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the U.S. merchant mariners of World War II, in recognition of their service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Good Samaritan Charitable Physicians' Services Act of 2018 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction for direct primary care physicians who provide charity care. The care must be provided without expectation of reimbursement and to an individual enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). A "direct primary care physician" is a physician who provides primary care: (1) to individuals who have paid a periodic subscription fee, and (2) in exchange for a fee that is published on a publicly available website of the physician. The bill also amends the Public Health Service Act to specify that a physician is not liable under federal or state law for harm caused by an act or omission of the physician, or attending medical personnel supporting the physician, if the act or omission: (1) occurs in the course of furnishing charity care, and (2) was not grossly negligent. The bill preempts laws of a state or a political subdivision of the state that are inconsistent with this provision, unless the laws provide greater protection from liability for a defendant.