United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Sunshine for Regulations and Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2017 This bill establishes public notice and comment procedures and motion to intervene standards for civil actions seeking to compel agency action and alleging that an agency is unlawfully withholding or unreasonably delaying an agency action, and for consent decrees or settlement agreements that require agency action, relating to a regulatory action that would affect the rights of: (1) private persons other than the person bringing the action; or (2) a state, local, or tribal government. The bill sets forth requirements for: agencies against which such an action is brought to publish online, within 15 days after receipt, the notice of intent to sue and the complaint; courts to consider motions to intervene and allow amicus participation; and any settlement proceedings to include intervening parties and to be conducted pursuant to the mediation or alternative dispute resolution program of the court or by a district judge. Agencies seeking to enter such a consent decree or settlement agreement must: publish, and accept and respond to public comment on, the proposed agreement or decree for 60 days before filing it with the court; and make available to the court the administrative record and a summary of public comments and any public hearings. The Department of Justice, or an agency litigating a matter independently, must certify to the court its approval of such proposed: (1) consent decrees that include terms that convert into a nondiscretionary duty a discretionary authority of an agency to propose, promulgate, revise, or amend regulations, commit an agency to expend funds that have not been appropriated and budgeted or to seek a particular appropriation or budget authorization, divest an agency of discretion committed to it by statute or the Constitution, or otherwise afford any relief that the court could not enter under its own authority; or (2) settlement agreements that include terms that provide a remedy for a failure by the agency to comply with the terms of the agreement other than the revival of the civil action resolved by the agreement, interfere with the authority of an agency to revise, amend, or issue rules, or commit the agency to expend funds that have not been appropriated and budgeted or to exercise in a particular way discretion which was committed to the agency by statute or the Constitution. Courts: (1) shall not approve such consent decrees or settlement agreements unless they allow sufficient time and procedures to comply with the Administrative Procedure Act, rulemaking statutes, and executive orders; and (2) shall grant de novo review if an agency files a motion to modify such a decree or agreement on the basis that its terms are no longer fully in the public interest due to changed facts and circumstances or the agency's obligations to fulfill other duties.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for a physician to knowingly perform an abortion: (1) without determining whether the fetus has a detectable heartbeat, (2) without informing the mother of the results, or (3) after determining that a fetus has a detectable heartbeat. It provides an exception for an abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical (but not psychological or emotional) disorder, illness, or condition. A physician who performs a prohibited abortion is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2017
Cuba Trade Act of 2017 This bill repeals or amends current laws restricting trade with Cuba. The prohibition on assistance to Cuba, and the President's authority for the embargo on Cuba, under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 are eliminated. The Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 is amended to eliminate: presidential authority to impose sanctions against Cuban trading partners, restrictions on transactions between U.S.-owned or controlled firms and Cuba, limitations on direct shipping between Cuban and U.S. ports, and restrictions on remittances. The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 is amended to eliminate: the enforcement of an economic embargo of Cuban provisions, and the prohibition on indirect financing of Cuba. The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 is amended to: remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism subject to agricultural and medical export restrictions; eliminate the prohibition on U.S. assistance, including foreign assistance, export assistance, and any credit or guarantees being made available for exports to Cuba; eliminate the prohibition against a U.S. person's providing payment or financing terms for sales of agricultural commodities or products to Cuba; prohibit the United States from providing any foreign assistance to Cuba or any financial assistance, loans, loan guarantees, extension of credit, or other financing for exports to Cuba; and eliminate the prohibition on the U.S. entry of merchandise that is of Cuban origin, is or has been located in or transported from or through Cuba, or is made or derived in whole or in part of any article which is the growth, produce, or manufacture of Cuba. The federal government may not obligate or expend any funds to promote trade with or develop markets in Cuba, except through certain commodity promotion programs.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. The Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 is amended to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. The bill establishes a transition period during which a percentage of employment-based second and third preference (EB-2 and EB-3) immigrant visas are reserved as follows: for FY2017, 15% of such visas are allotted to natives of countries other than the two countries with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2011; for FY2018, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2012; and for FY2019, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2015. During the transition period, not more than 25% of the total number of the reserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. For FY2015-FY2017, not more than 85% of the unreserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. Amendments made by this bill shall apply beginning in FY2017.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
Safeguard Aquaculture Farmers Act This bill provides the force and effect of law for certain regulations that allow for the taking of double-crested cormorants (birds) that eat fish at aquaculture facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
Hearing Protection Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm silencers, and (2) treat any person who acquires or possesses a firearm silencer as meeting any registration or licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to such silencer. Any person who pays a transfer tax on a silencer after October 22, 2015, may receive a refund of such tax. The bill amends the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2017 or the RPM Act of 2017 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to allow the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls if the vehicle is used solely for competition.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2017 This bill states that: the President may not prohibit or otherwise regulate travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions incident to such travel, including banking transactions; any regulation in effect on the date of enactment of this Act prohibiting or otherwise regulating such travel or transactions incident to such travel shall cease to have any force or effect; but the prohibitions and requirements of this Act shall not apply if the United States is at war with Cuba, armed hostilities between the two countries are in progress, or there is imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of U.S. travelers.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2017 This bill prohibits, for a one-year period, the availability of federal funds for any purpose to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., or any of its affiliates or clinics, unless they certify that the affiliates and clinics will not perform, and will not provide any funds to any other entity that performs, an abortion during such period. This restriction does not apply in cases of rape or incest or where a physical condition endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture must seek repayment of federal assistance received by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., or any affiliate or clinic, if it violates the terms of the certification required by this bill. Additional funding for community health centers is provided for the one-year period described above.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Protecting American Families' Retirement Advice Act This bill delays for two years the effective date of the Department of Labor rule published on April 8, 2016, relating to the definition of the term "fiduciary" and the conflict of interest rule with respect to retirement investment advice. (The rule defines who is a fiduciary with respect to pension and retirement plans. Under current law, a person who provides investment advice has a fiduciary obligation that requires the person to provide advice in the sole interest of plan participants and beneficiaries. The rule changes the definition of "investment advice" to treat people who provide investment advice to pension and retirement plans for a fee or other compensation as fiduciaries in a wider array of advice relationships.)
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017 This bill includes as part of the Republic of Vietnam its territorial seas for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
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 FY2024-FY2028, subject to specified adjustments to be made by the DOD Secretary, to a number not greater than 85% of the number of such positions at DOD as of September 30, 2018. Not more than 1,000 of such positions may be career appointees within the Senior Executive Service. DOD is authorized to offer voluntary separation incentive and voluntary early retirement payments to achieve the reductions but must use involuntary measures, beginning on October 1, 2018, to achieve required reductions in personnel levels if voluntary measures are inadequate.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Protect Medical Innovation Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on the sale of a medical device by the manufacturer, producer, or importer.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow 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 2017
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking. A federal agency promulgating a rule must publish information about the rule in the Federal Register and include in its report to Congress and to the Government Accountability Office: (1) a classification of the rule as a major or nonmajor rule, and (2) a copy of the cost-benefit analysis of the rule that includes an analysis of any jobs added or lost. A "major rule" is any rule that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds results in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. A joint resolution of approval must be enacted within 70 session days or legislative days after the agency proposing a major rule submits its report on such rule to Congress in order for the rule to take effect. A major rule may take effect for 90 days without such approval if the President determines it is necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, for the enforcement of criminal laws, for national security, or to implement an international trade agreement. The bill sets forth the congressional approval procedure for major rules and the congressional disapproval procedure for nonmajor rules. A joint resolution addressing a report classifying a rule as a major rule must be introduced within three legislative days in the House of Representative and three session days in the Senate. The bill prohibits any amendments to, and provides for expedited consideration of, such a joint resolution. A court may review whether an agency has completed the necessary requirements under this bill for a rule to take effect. The bill limits the effect of a joint resolution of approval of a major rule. The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended to provide that any congressional approval procedure set forth in this bill affecting budget authority, outlays, or receipts shall be assumed to be effective unless it is not approved in accordance with this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Encourage New Legalized Immigrants to Start Training Act or the ENLIST Act This bill authorizes the enlistment in the Armed Forces of aliens unlawfully present in the United States on December 31, 2012, who: (1) have been continuously present in the United States since such date; (2) were younger than 15 years of age when they initially entered the United States; and (3) are otherwise eligible for original enlistment in a regular component of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. The Department of Homeland Security shall adjust the status of an alien enlisted under such authority to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act applicable to aliens who entered the United States prior to January 1, 1972. The bill rescinds such lawful permanent resident status if the alien is separated from the Armed Forces under other than honorable conditions before serving the term of enlistment.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2016
Safeguard Aquaculture Farmers Act This bill provides the force and effect of law for certain regulations that allow for the taking of double-crested cormorants (birds) that eat fish at aquaculture facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Geospatial Data Act of 2016 This bill establishes: (1) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the Federal Geographic Data Committee (the committee), which shall be the lead entity in the executive branch for the development, implementation, and review of policies, practices, and standards relating to geospatial data; and (2) in the executive branch the National Geospatial Advisory Committee to provide advice and recommendations to the committee. The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (as defined in this bill) shall ensure that geospatial data from multiple sources is available and easily integrated to enhance the understanding of the physical and cultural world. The committee shall prepare a strategic plan for the implementation of the infrastructure consistent with national security, national defense, and emergency preparedness program policies regarding data accessibility. The committee shall operate GeoPlatform, an electronic service that provides access to geospatial data and metadata for geospatial data. Agencies whose functions involve geospatial data shall implement a strategy for advancing geographic information and related geospatial data activities appropriate to that agency's mission in support of the strategic plan for the infrastructure. Such agencies shall disclose each contract, cooperative agreement, grant, or other transaction that deals with geospatial data. Four years after enactment of this bill, federal funding shall not be made available for the collection, production, acquisition, maintenance, or dissemination of geospatial data that does not comply with applicable standards established by the committee. The committee and agencies using geospatial data shall rely upon and use private individuals and entities for the acquisition of commercially available surveying and mapping and the provision of geospatial services, to the maximum extent practical.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2016
Farm Risk Abatement and Mitigation Election Act of 2016 or the FRAME Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish tax-exempt farm risk management accounts (FRAME Accounts) and allow taxpayers actively engaged in the business of farming or ranching to use distributions from such accounts to protect the solvency of the farm to which the FRAME Account relates and to procure revenue or crop insurance; (2) allow a deduction from gross income for cash contributions to such accounts; (3) specify minimum levels of contributions to, and maximum levels of distributions from, such accounts; (4) set forth tax rules relating to account distributions, excess contributions, and prohibited transactions; and (5) allow a variable business-related tax credit for contributions made to a FRAME Account in the first nine years after such account is established.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Hospital Quality Rating Transparency Act of 2016 This bill delays the date upon which the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may make Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings for hospitals publicly available. With respect to such ratings, HHS shall: (1) make publicly available detailed information on the methodology used, (2) have the validity and accuracy of such methodology independently confirmed, and (3) provide a public comment period of specified duration. HHS may not make the ratings publicly available until the later of July 31, 2017, or the date upon which the bill's requirements are satisfied. In the event that such ratings have already been published on a specified website, HHS shall remove them and not republish them until the bill's requirements have been satisfied.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit Medicare Prescription Drug Plan sponsors from retroactively reducing payment on clean claims submitted by pharmacies. (A "clean claim" is a Medicare claim that is free of defects such as incomplete documentation.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2016
Calls on: the President to apply U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty laws against nonmarket economy countries, the President to retain the status of any country currently designated as a nonmarket economy country until it meets certain criteria for treatment as a market economy country, nonmarket economy countries to eliminate all direct and indirect subsidies and other market-distorting government policies benefitting the production and export of goods to the United States, and such countries to enter into binding and enforceable agreements for removing excess production capacity and withdrawing state intervention in and control over their economies.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Second Amendment protects the individual right to keep and bear arms for self-defense and that such right is fully applicable to the states.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act This bill prohibits a sanctuary jurisdiction from receiving grants under certain Economic Development Assistance Programs and the Community Development Block Grant Program. A sanctuary jurisdiction is a state or political subdivision that has a statute, policy, or practice in effect that prohibits or restricts: (1) information sharing about an individual's immigration status, or (2) compliance with a lawfully issued detainer request or notification of release request. A state or political subdivision that complies with a detainer is deemed to be an agent of the Department of Homeland Security and is authorized to take actions to comply with the detainer. The bill limits the liability of a state or political subdivision, or an officer or employee of such state or political subdivision, for actions in compliance with the detainer.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2016
Recognizes the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Fulbright program. Encourages the President and the Department of State to work with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to support the Fulbright program. Congratulates all Fulbright award recipients. Calls on students, scholars, and professionals around the world to seek out opportunities to engage with each other and promote international good will.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Improving Access to Farm Conservation Act of 2016 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to exempt certain recipients of Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation assistance from specified reporting requirements. The bill exempts producers that receive $450,000 or less in USDA conservation assistance during the year or are Indian tribes from reporting requirements related to subawards, executive compensation, the Universal Identifier, and the System for Award Management.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Protecting Internet Freedom Act This bill prohibits the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information from allowing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's responsibility for Internet domain name system functions, including the authoritative root zone file and the performance of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions, to cease unless a federal statute enacted after enactment of this bill expressly grants the Assistant Secretary such authority. The Assistant Secretary must certify to Congress that the U.S. government has: (1) secured sole ownership of the .gov and .mil top-level domains, and (2) entered into a contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers that provides the U.S. government with exclusive control and use of those domains in perpetuity.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Air Traffic Controller Hiring Improvement Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing air traffic controllers, to give preferential consideration to qualified individuals maintaining 52 consecutive weeks of experience involving the active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic certification or facility rating within 5 years of application while serving at an FAA air traffic control facility, a civilian or military air traffic control facility of the Department of Defense, or a tower operating under contract with the FAA. The FAA shall consider additional applicants by referring an approximately equal number of employees for appointment among two applicant pools. The number referred from each group shall not differ by more than 10%. Pool one shall consist of applicants who: have successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program and have received an appropriate recommendation or endorsement from such institution, are eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment and provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days of the announcement closing, are veterans eligible for veterans' benefits who maintain aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience, or are preference eligible veterans. Pool two shall consist of applicants who apply under a vacancy announcement recruiting from all U.S. citizens. The FAA: (1) may not use a biographical assessment when hiring, (2) must provide an individual who applied in response to a specified 2014 vacancy announcement and was disqualified as the result of a biographical assessment an opportunity to reapply under the revised hiring practices, and (3) must waive any maximum age limit for such reapplying applicants who met such requirement when they applied under such announcement. Otherwise, the maximum age limit for an original appointment as an air traffic controller under this bill shall be 35 years of age. The FAA shall consider directly notifying secondary schools and institutes of higher learning of a vacancy announcement for pool one applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act of 2016 or the PADME Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a bid ceiling for durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs) under Medicare's competitive acquisition program, through which rates are set according to a bidding process rather than by an established fee schedule. Specifically, the bid ceiling for such an item shall not be less than the fee schedule amount that would otherwise be determined. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must use payment information from competitive acquisition programs to make payment adjustments for areas outside of such programs. The bill requires CMS, in making these adjustments, to account for stakeholder input. In addition, CMS must account for a comparison of competitive acquisition areas and other areas with respect to the following factors: average travel distance and cost associated with furnishing items and services, barriers to access, average delivery time, average volume of items and services furnished by suppliers, and number of suppliers. In addition, CMS shall delay by 15 months the full implementation of new Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment. On a monthly basis, CMS must publish on its website the results of the monitoring of health outcomes and Medicare beneficiaries' access to durable medical equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2016
Food and Fuel Consumer Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act by revising the renewable fuel program, which requires transportation fuel to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must cap the total volume of ethanol blended into the transportation fuel supply at 9.7% of projected gasoline demand as determined by the Energy Information Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Transparent Insurance Standards Act of 2016 This bill specifies U.S. objectives regarding international insurance standards. The United States may not agree to, accept, establish, enter into, or consent to the adoption of a final international insurance standard with an international standard-setting organization or a foreign government, authority, or regulatory entity unless certain publication requirements and capital standards are met. Before U.S. adoption of any such international insurance standard the Department of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in consultation with the state insurance commissioners, shall analyze and report to Congress on the impact of the standard on U.S. consumers and markets and whether any changes in state law will result from such final standard. Congress shall have 90 days to approve or reject the final standard. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is amended to authorize the Independent Member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council to: perform specified consultant duties with international insurance supervisors, international financial stability counterparts, as well as Treasury; attend the Financial Stability Board of The Group of Twenty, and arrange for the attendance and participation at the Board of state insurance commissioners on matters related to insurance and financial stability; and attend, with the U.S. delegation, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and observe and participate at the OECD Insurance and Private Pensions Committee on those same matters. Parties representing the United States at the Financial Stability Board of the Group of Twenty on matters, and in meetings, related to insurance and financial stability shall consult with the state insurance commissioners and seek to include them in those meetings.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Free File Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to operate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File Program. The program must work with state government agencies to enhance and expand the use of the program, while continuing to: provide free commercial-type online individual income tax preparation and electronic filing services to the lowest 70% of taxpayers by income; provide all taxpayers (regardless of income) with a basic, online electronic fillable forms utility; and work with the private sector to provide the free tax preparation and electronic filing services. Treasury must work with the private sector through the program to identify and implement innovative new program features to improve and simplify the taxpayer's experience with completing and filing individual income tax returns. The IRS and members of the tax software and electronic industry involved in the program must support and promote improvements within the program by mutually testing, piloting, and offering innovative solutions to: simplify the tax system, reduce compliance and reporting burdens, increase tax return accuracy through financial data authentication, strengthen the tax system against fraud through cybersecurity collaboration, avoid duplication, and maximize the use of electronic technology.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 This bill declares the sense of Congress that it should consider a miscellaneous tariff bill. The U.S. International Trade Commission shall: conduct a process, meeting specified requirements, for the submission and consideration of petitions for duty suspensions and reductions; and report to Congress on the effects of duty suspensions and reductions enacted pursuant to this Act on producers, purchasers, and consumers in the United States. The bill prescribes requirements for publication by specified congressional committees of a list of limited tariff benefits contained in a miscellaneous tariff bill.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act This bill declares that the proposed or the final rule of the Department of Labor entitled "Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees" shall cease to have any force or effect. The rule revises the "white collar" exemption of executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer employees from minimum wage and maximum hour, or overtime, requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). If the proposed rule is a final rule on the date of enactment of this bill: Labor shall not enforce it based on conduct occurring before that enactment date, an employee shall not have any right of action against an employer for the employer's failure to comply with the final rule at any time before that enactment date, any regulations that were amended by the final rule shall be restored and revived as if the final rule had never taken effect, and nothing in this bill shall be construed to create a right of action for an employer against an employee for the recoupment of any payments made to the employee before the enactment of this bill that were in compliance with that final rule. Labor may promulgate any substantially similar rule only if it has completed certain required actions; but the rule shall not contain any automatic updates to the salary threshold for purposes of exemptions to minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under the FLSA. The requirement that definitions applicable for such exemptions be defined and delimited from time to time by Labor regulations shall be construed to: require Labor to issue a new rule through notice and comment rulemaking for each change in any salary threshold it has proposed; and exclude any rule that would result in changes to any salary threshold for multiple time periods, including through any automatic updating procedure. Labor may not promulgate any final rule that includes any revision to duties tests for exemption from minimum wage and maximum hours requirements unless specific regulatory text for the provision was proposed in the proposed rule.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2016
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act This bill establishes a three-year reauthorization, rescission, and termination schedule for unauthorized programs funded through the annual appropriations process. The schedule applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year. After a program's authorization has expired, the bill limits the program's funding in the first year to 90% of the funds provided in the expiring year, reduces the limit to 85% for the second and third years, and terminates the program at the end of the third year. The bill enforces the limits by rescinding any funds that exceed the limit. The Office of Management and Budget must reduce discretionary spending limits by the amount of any rescissions. Programs that are reauthorized during the three-year period are exempt from the limits, rescissions, and termination if the reauthorization includes a provision limiting the authorization of appropriations period to no more than three years. The bill establishes the Spending and Accountability Commission to recommend a reauthorization schedule for discretionary spending programs and review all mandatory spending programs. The commission may recommend legislation to replace the funding limits and rescissions required by this bill with reductions in mandatory spending. The commission's reauthorization schedule must limit reauthorizations to three years, include the funding limits and rescissions established by this bill, and establish a mechanism for replacing the limitations and rescissions with reductions to mandatory spending programs. The House of Representatives must consider the proposal using expedited legislative procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2016
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016 or the RPM Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to allow the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls if the vehicle is used solely for competition.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise physician supervision requirements under the Medicare program for radiology services performed by advanced level radiographers. Specifically, with respect to a state that has established such requirements for those services, the bill aligns Medicare's requirements with state requirements. An "advanced level radiographer" is a radiographer who has obtained specified certification from either the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists or the Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants.
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 · 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 · 11 February 2016
Protecting Our Security Through Utilizing Right-Sized End-Strength Act of 2016 or the POSTURE Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that given the uncertain world and the need for trained and ready U.S. land force, the planned drawdown of land forces should be stopped. The bill sets forth: FY2016 Army, Marine Corps, and Selected Reserve strength levels; and Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force permanent active duty end strength minimum levels. Any proposal to lower the end strength levels established by this Act must first be approved by Congress through enactment of a law to that effect.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Justin Smith Morrill Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Justin Smith Morrill's lasting contributions to higher education opportunity for all Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Fairness for Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the placed-in-service restriction on the depreciation of certain farming business machinery and equipment and to make permanent the five-year recovery period for such property.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2016
Fair Medicare Hospital Payments Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish, with respect to hospitals not located in a frontier state, a floor on the area wage adjustment factor for hospital inpatient and outpatient services covered under Medicare. (Such a floor already applies with respect to hospitals located in frontier states.)
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 · 6 January 2016
Women Airforce Service Pilot Arlington Inurnment Restoration Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to ensure that the cremated remains of persons who served as Women's Air Forces Service Pilots are eligible for interment in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Establishes in the House of Representatives the Select Committee on Oversight of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to conduct comprehensive oversight and investigate compliance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and issue annual reports of its findings to the House regarding: all enrichment activities, including relevant limitations pertaining to uranium enrichment levels, centrifuge capacity, and related research and development; all international collaborative partnerships formed and the agreed upon research interests; all uranium stockpile levels, including enrichment levels as well as the amount and price of any excess uranium sold to international buyers; all International Atomic Energy Agency oversight activities relating to the JCPOA, including the effectiveness of relevant inspections into JCPOA tenants; compliance with all enacted international and domestic sanctions, including potential violations of relevant sanctions; all financial transactions including establishment of banking relationships, trade in gold and precious metals, and investment in Iran's oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors; all research and development of missile technology and the acquisition of relevant technology from international partners; and all acquisition of conventional weaponry by the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Groundwater Conservation Incentive Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax deduction for soil and water conservation expenditures to include expenditures to reduce groundwater use and for the conversion from groundwater use to surface water use.
![Official portrait of Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/6916065185b49de40f52cad4_200.jpg)