United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2013
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits total outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a three-fifths rollcall vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Limits total outlays for any fiscal year to one-fifth of the U.S. economic output, unless two-thirds of each house of Congress provides for a specific increase above this amount. Requires a three-fifths rollcall vote of each chamber to increase the limit on U.S. debt held by the public. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Prohibits any bill to increase revenue from becoming law unless approved by three-fifths of each chamber by rollcall vote. Authorizes waivers of these requirements and prohibitions when a declaration of war is in effect or under other specified circumstances involving military conflict. Requires any such waiver to identify and be limited to the specific excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by the identified military conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2012
Farmers Protection Act of 2012 - Amends the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to permit the taking of any migratory game bird, including waterfowl, coots, and cranes, on or over land that: (1) is not a baited area; and (2) contains a standing crop (including an aquatic crop), standing, flooded, or manipulated natural vegetation, flooded harvested cropland, or an area on which seed or grain has been scattered solely as the result of a normal agricultural practice.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2012
Military CDL Act of 2012 - Revises certain commercial driver's license (CDL) requirements with which a state must comply in order to avoid the administrative penalty of a withholding by the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) of a percentage of the state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway program funds. Permits a state to issue a CDL to an individual who operates or will operate a commercial motor vehicle and who: (1) is an active duty member of the Armed Forces, including the military reserves, National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, or Coast Guard Auxiliary; and (2) is not domiciled in the state, but whose temporary or permanent duty station is located there.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2012
Commends the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for their work serving youth and strengthening our communities. Recognizes the importance of high-impact youth mentoring in ensuring positive outcomes for youth of all backgrounds. Supports youth mentoring as a strategy to reduce anti-social and risky youth behavior and develop productive, contributing young adults. Encourages the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to continue and expand programs that expose young people to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Commits to finding ways to increase the federal strategic and financial partnerships between the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and various federal agencies and departments in order to serve even more young people.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2012
Repeal of Obamacare Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act. Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act's health care provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2012
Healthcare Tax Relief and Mandate Repeal Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) terminate the requirement, added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), that individuals maintain minimum essential health insurance coverage for themselves and dependents; and (2) repeal provisions added by PPACA requiring certain employers who have a workforce of 50 or more full-time employees to provide health insurance coverage for their employees.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2012
Disapproves and nullifies the rule relating to the health insurance premium tax credit submitted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and published in the Federal Register on May 23, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2012
National Mitigation Fisheries Coordination Act - Directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to impose a charge for conducting mitigation fishery activities in connection with federal water resources development projects carried out by water development agencies (Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, or the Tennessee Valley Authority [TVA]). Requires such agencies to pay the charge in accordance with a fishery mitigation plan developed and approved by the USFWS Director and the agency head. Defines "mitigation fishery activities" as rearing and stocking of native and nonnative fish to replace or maintain fishery resources or harvest levels lost as a result of such a project, including project planning, population assessment and evaluation, genetic monitoring, broodstock development, and fish health sampling. Requires USFWS's charges to be reasonably related to expenditures necessary to: (1) operate, maintain, and rehabilitate certain USFWS-owned and -operated mitigation fishery facilities, hatcheries, and health centers; and (2) conduct mitigation fishery activities, including expenditures for personnel, transportation, utilities, contractual services, fish feed, supplies, equipment, routine maintenance, deferred maintenance, fish eggs, technical support, fish health, management and administration, planning, and hatchery product evaluations. Permits a water development agency, if it collects reimbursements from a power management agency for the ongoing costs of maintaining and operating a federal water resources development project, to include the costs associated with the project's fishery mitigation activities.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2012
Protect our Prairies Act - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to reduce crop insurance assistance and noninsured crop disaster assistance for crops grown on native sod acreage converted to cropland for the first four years.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2012
Forest Products Fairness Act of 2012 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to include in the definition of "biobased product" forest products that meet biobased content requirements, notwithstanding the market share the product holds, the product's age, or whether the market for the product is new or emerging. Defines "forest product" as a product made from materials derived from the practice of forestry or the management of growing timber, including: (1) pulp, paper, paperboard, pellets, and wood products; and (2) any recycled products derived from forest materials.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2012
Preventing Recurring Trade Evasion and Circumvention Act or PROTECT Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish within the Office of International Trade of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) a Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Division (including a National Targeting and Analysis Group) to prevent and counter evasion of antidumping or countervailing duty orders with respect to covered merchandise entered into the United States. Directs the Group to establish targeted risk assessment methodologies and standards for: (1) evaluating the risk that cargo destined for the United States may constitute evading covered merchandise, and (2) issuing Trade Alerts to U.S. ports of entry directing further inspection of specific merchandise to ensure compliance with U.S. trade remedy laws. Requires the Group also to use information available from the Automated Targeting System, the Automated Entry System, the International Trade Data System, and the Treasury Enforcement Communications System to administer such methodologies and standards. Amends the Trade Act of 2002 to repeal the prohibition against use by the Secretary of the Treasury of certain trade data for merchandise entry or commercial enforcement determinations. Requires the DHS Secretary, acting through the CBP Commissioner, to exercise all authorities to collect information needed to determine whether merchandise is entered into the United States through evasion. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to permit access to proprietary information submitted to the administering authority or the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to a CBP officer or employee who is conducting an investigation regarding negligence or gross negligence with respect to covered merchandise entered into the United States. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to negotiate and enter into bilateral agreements with customs authorities of foreign countries to prevent evasion of U.S. and foreign trade remedy laws. Directs the CBP Commissioner to employ sufficient personnel who have expertise in and responsibility for preventing and investigating the entry of covered merchandise into the United States through evasion. Requires the weighted average dumping margin or individual countervailing duty rate determined for a new exporter (shipper) or producer of merchandise in a review by the administering authority as to whether antidumping or countervailing duties shall be imposed to be based solely on the bona fide U.S. sales made by the exporter or producer during the period of review. Applies the amendments made by this Act to goods from Canada and Mexico.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2012
Prohibits the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from: (1) finalizing, adopting, implementing, administering, or enforcing the proposed guidance described in the notice of availability and request for comments entitled "EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Guidance Regarding Identification of Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act"; or (2) using such guidance, or any substantially similar guidance, as the basis for any decision regarding the scope of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or any rulemaking. Provides that the use of such guidance as the basis for any rule shall be grounds for vacating such rule.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2012
Stop Abortion Funding in Multi-state Exchange Plans Act or SAFE Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), in entering into contracts with health insurance issuers, to ensure that no multi-state qualified health plan offered in a health benefit exchange provides coverage of abortion. Excepts from such limitation: (1) a pregnancy that results from rape or incest; or (2) a case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, injury, or illness that would place the her in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself. Prohibits any state law from preempting the coverage limitations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2012
Fiscal Responsibility in Federal Contracting Act - Suspends through FY2023 the Davis-Bacon Act (which requires that the locally prevailing wage rate be paid to various classes of laborers and mechanics working under federally-financed or federally-assisted contracts for construction, alteration, and repair of public buildings or public works). Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress each fiscal year through FY2023 on the savings to the federal government that resulted from such suspension since its beginning.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2012
Sunshine on Government Act of 2012 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Executive Chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, to create a separate website apart from the OMB website about the reports issued by each Office of Inspector General. Requires such website to include: (1) a general description of the role of the Office of Inspector General, (2) a description of the types of reports issued by the Office of Inspector General, (3) a list of each federal agency that has an Office of Inspector General, and (4) a link to a website containing Inspector General reports.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2012
Supports the designation of National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Day to honor those who are serving and have served in the Armed Forces in the noble and self-sacrificing profession of explosive ordnance disposal. Supports the designation of "Initial Success or Total Failure" as the official motto of explosive ordnance disposal organizations in the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2012
Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act or RAISE Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to declare that neither its prohibition against interference by an employer with employees' right to bargain collectively, nor the terms of a collective bargaining agreement entered into between employees and an employer after enactment of this Act, shall prohibit an employer from paying an employee higher wages, pay, or other compensation than the agreement provides for.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2012
Making Adoption Affordable Act of 2012 - Makes permanent provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 allowing an increased tax credit for adoption expenses and an increased exclusion from gross income for amounts paid by an employer for adoption expenses. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reinstate and make permanent: (1) the increase in the tax credit for adoption expenses and the increased exclusion from gross income for amounts paid by an employer for adoption expenses that were enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (2) the annual inflation adjustments for such increased amounts, and (3) the refundability of the tax credit for adoption expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2012
Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to prohibit the closing of a Farm Service Agency county or field office unless there is another Agency office not more than 20 driving miles away.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2012
Farm Service Accountability Act - Amends the the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) from closing or relocating a Farm Service Agency county or field office in a state if the Secretary determines that the office has a high workload volume compared with other county offices in the state.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2012
Waterways Are Vital for the Economy, Energy, Efficiency, and Environment Act of 2012 or WAVE4 Act - Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to require certain delivery process reforms for qualifying construction and major rehabilitation projects for navigation infrastructure of inland and intracoastal waterways. Directs the Secretary, working in conjunction with the Inland Waterways Users Board, to submit to Congress a 20-year program for making capital investments on inland and intracoastal waterways. Authorizes such program to be based on the 20-year capital investment strategy contained in the Inland Marine Transportation System (IMTS) Capital Projects Business Model, Final Report published on April 13, 2010, as approved by the Board. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit expenditures from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to 50% of the total cost of the construction or rehabilitation project. Prohibits expenditures from the Fund for: (1) construction or rehabilitation of dams, or (2) rehabilitation expenditures equal to or exceeding $100 million.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2012
Shared Responsibility in Preserving America's Future Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose, in taxable years beginning after 2012 and before 2023, an additional 5% tax on individual taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds $1 million (adjusted for inflation after 2013). Defines "modified adjusted gross income" as adjusted gross income reduced by the excess of: (1) gross income from a trade or business which is not a passive activity and with respect to which wages are paid to at least one full-time equivalent employee, over (2) the tax deductions properly allocable to such income. Makes this additional tax contingent upon the submission and ratification of a proposed amendment to the Constitution requiring a balanced budget or limiting spending.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2012
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act, with respect to derivatives clearing organizations and swap data repositories, to repeal the prerequisite that, before the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may share information with specified regulatory agencies, such agencies must agree to indemnify the CFTC for expenses arising from litigation relating to information so provided. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to repeal similarly the prerequisite that, before a security-based swap data repository may share information with specified regulatory entities, such entities must agree to indemnify both such repository and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for expenses arising from litigation relating to information so provided.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2012
Preserving America's Family Farms Act - Prohibits the Secretary of Labor from finalizing or enforcing proposed rule "Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation; Child Labor Violations-Civil Money Penalties" (relating to child labor in agricultural and nonagricultural occupations) issued pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act and published on September 2, 2011.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2012
Affirms that it is a vital national interest of the United States to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability and warns that time is limited to prevent that from happening. Urges increasing economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran to secure an agreement that includes: (1) suspension of all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, (2) complete cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding Iran's nuclear activities, and (3) a permanent agreement that verifiably assures that Iran's nuclear program is entirely peaceful. Supports: (1) the universal rights and democratic aspirations of the Iranian people, and (2) U.S. policy to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. Rejects any U.S. policy that would rely on efforts to contain a nuclear weapons-capable Iran. Urges the President to reaffirm the unacceptability of an Iran with nuclear-weapons capability and oppose any policy that would rely on containment as an option in response to the Iranian nuclear threat.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2012
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 regarding the imposition of countervailing duties on imports into the United States from a country subsidizing, directly or indirectly, the manufacture, production, or export of merchandise which materially injures a U.S. industry or threatens to. Declares that merchandise on which countervailing duties must be imposed includes merchandise from a nonmarket country, unless the administering authority cannot identify and measure subsidies provided by the government of the nonmarket economy country (or a public entity within its territory) because the economy of that country is essentially composed of a single entity. Requires the administering authority to reduce the antidumping duty on a class or kind of merchandise from a nonmarket economy country in cases where: (1) such country (or a public entity within its territory) has provided the merchandise with a countervailable subsidy (other than an export subsidy); (2) the subsidy has reduced the average price of imports of that class or kind of merchandise during the relevant period; and (3) the extent to which the subsidy, in combination with the use of normal value, has increased the weighted average dumping margin for such merchandise can be reasonably estimated. Requires the administering authority, in such cases, to reduce the antidumping duty by the amount of the increase in the weighted average dumping margin estimated (but not by more than the portion of the countervailing duty rate attributable to the countervailable subsidy).
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2012
Pro Football Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5-gold coins, 400,000 $1-silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins emblematic of the game of professional football. Requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to help finance the construction of a new building and the renovation of existing Pro Football Hall of Fame facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2012
Disapproves the Department of Labor rule relating to temporary non-agricultural employment of H-2B aliens in the United States (published in the Federal Register on February 21, 2012) and states that such rule shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2012
Disapproves and nullifies the rule submitted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and published December 22, 2011, relating to representation election procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2012
Farm Risk Abatement and Mitigation Election Act of 2012 or the FRAME Act of 2012 - 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 · 1 February 2012
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 600 East Capitol Avenue in Little Rock, Arkansas, as the "Sidney 'Sid' Sanders McMath Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2012
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6083 Highway 36 West in Rose Bud, Arkansas, as the "Nicky 'Nick' Daniel Bacon Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2012
Honest Budget Act of 2012 - Amends procedures in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that make it out of order in the Senate to consider appropriations legislation until the Senate agrees to a concurrent resolution on the budget. Permits waivers or suspension of such requirements, or successful appeals from a ruling of the Chair, by an affirmative vote of three-fifths (60) of the Senate. Makes it out of order in either chamber to consider certain bills, joint resolutions, or conference reports that designate as: (1) an emergency requirement any provision that creates discretionary or direct spending or decreases revenues, or (2) being for disaster relief. Requires an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members to successfully appeal a ruling of the Chair on a point of order against such a measure. Establishes a procedure for emergency designations by amendment. Makes it out of order in the House of Representatives to consider a rule or order that waives the application of such prohibitions against consideration of such measures or amendments. Amends the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (FCRA) to revise the budgetary treatment of federal direct loans and loan guarantees to account for them on a fair value basis (currently, a FCRA accrual basis). Expands such new budgetary treatment to financial investments beginning in FY2015. Defines "financial investment" as a federal government investment in any securities (debt or equity) or futures, swaps, or other derivatives, issued by a non-federal entity, regardless of whether the issuances are federally guaranteed, or issued by a federal entity if the issuance consists of marketable securities. Requires the President's budget: (1) from FY1992 on to reflect the Treasury discounting component of direct loan and loan guarantee programs; and (2) from FY2015 on to reflect the costs of direct loan, loan guarantee, and financial investment programs. Defines "Treasury discounting component" as the estimated long-term cost to the federal government of a direct loan, loan guarantee, or financial investment calculated on a net present value basis, excluding administrative costs and any incidental effects on governmental receipts or outlays. Revises other requirements for the President's budget including conditions for new direct loan obligations incurred and loan guarantee commitments made for FY1992 and thereafter, and new financial investment commitments for FY2015 and thereafter. Requires new budget authority for such loans or loan guarantee or financial investment commitments to be provided in advance in an appropriations Act. Exempts a direct loan or loan guarantee program that constitutes an entitlement (such as the guaranteed student loan program or the veteran's home loan guaranty program) as well as all existing credit programs of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) from: (1) the above requirement; and (2) the prohibition against modification of an outstanding direct loan, loan guarantee, or financial investment in a manner that increases its costs unless budget authority for the additional cost has been provided in advance in an appropriations Act. Revises requirements for Treasury transactions with financing accounts (nonbudget accounts associated with each program account which holds balances, receives the cost payment from the program account, and also includes all other cash flows to and from the federal government resulting from such obligations or commitments made on or after October 1, 1991). Limits the availability of amounts in liquidating accounts to specified payments resulting from direct loan obligations or loan guarantee commitments made before October 1, 1991. Prescribes requirements for consideration of legislation in both chambers after agreement on a budget resolution (in effect, extending a point of order against certain changes in mandatory programs to all such programs in appropriations bills). Prohibits the congressional budget committees from counting rescissions of budget authority that do not result in outlay savings over the period covered by a budget resolution when determining the levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct spending, new entitlement authority, and revenues for a fiscal year. Suspends within-grade step increases in the compensation of certain federal employees from the date of enactment of this Act until December 31, 2012. Makes it out of order in both chambers to consider any legislation that would provide an advance appropriation, except for specified programs or activities, including the Employment and Training Administration, education for the disadvantaged, Head Start, rental assistance, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and veterans' medical services. Allows: (1) waiver of this rule in either chamber by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members; and (2) successful appeals in the Senate from the ruling of the Chair, only by an affirmative vote of three-fifths (60). Makes it out of order in the House, notwithstanding the allowance of such a waiver by the vote of a super-majority, to consider a rule or order that waives the application of such prohibition. Prohibits shifts in outlays or revenues from one year to another by a date change to act as an offset for other provisions that increase the deficit for a time period. Makes it out of order in the House to consider a rule or order that waives the application of such prohibition. Prescribes a budget scoring rule for transfers from the Treasury General Fund to the Highway Trust Fund that increase the level of indebtedness subject to the current applicable statutory public debt limit. Makes it out of order in the House to consider a rule or order that waives the application of such requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2012
District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit any person from performing or attempting to perform an abortion within the District of Columbia except in conformity with this Act's requirements. Requires the physician to first make a determination of the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child, or reasonably rely upon such a determination made by another physician, by making inquiries of the pregnant woman and performing such medical examinations and tests as a reasonably prudent physician would consider necessary. Prohibits the abortion from being performed if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater. Makes an exception where necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, excluding psychological or emotional conditions or any claim or diagnosis that the woman will engage in conduct intended to result in her death. Permits a physician to terminate a pregnancy under such exception only in the manner which provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive, unless termination of the pregnancy in that manner would pose a greater risk of the death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, not including psychological or emotional conditions, of the pregnant woman than would other available methods. Prescribes penalties for violations. Bars prosecution of a woman upon whom an abortion is performed in violation of this Act, but authorizes such a woman or the father or maternal grandparent of the unborn child to obtain appropriate relief through a civil action. Provides for injunctive relief to prevent violations. Sets forth specified privacy protections in court proceedings for the woman upon whom an abortion has been performed. Requires any physician who performs an abortion within the District to report it to the Department of Health of the District of Columbia, which shall issue annual public reports.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2012
Domestic Alternative Fuels Act of 2012 - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the Renewable Fuel Program to: (1) provide that the applicable volume of renewable fuel required in transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States for 2012 through 2022 shall apply in the aggregate to renewable fuel and domestic alternative fuel; and (2) define "domestic alternative fuel" as ethanol that is produced from domestic fossil fuels other than petroleum and that is used to replace or reduce the quantity of petroleum present in a transportation fuel.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2012
Disapproves of the President's appointment of four federal officers or employees during a period when no congressional recess of more than three days was authorized by concurrent resolution. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that those appointments were made in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2011
No Budget, No Pay Act - Prohibits the payment of any pay to any Member of Congress (excluding the Vice President): (1) if both houses of Congress have not approved a concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year before October 1 of that fiscal year and have not passed all the regular appropriations bills for the next fiscal year by such date, or (2) until both houses of Congress approve such a budget resolution and pass all such appropriations bills. Prohibits any retroactive pay for such a period.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2011
Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging Growth Companies Act of 2011 - Amends the Securities Act of 1933 (SA) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (SEA) to define "emerging growth company" as an issuer that had total annual gross revenues of less than $1 billion during its most recently completed fiscal year. Amends SEA and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 to exempt emerging growth companies from the requirement for separate shareholder approval of executive compensation, including golden parachute compensation. Amends SA to state that an emerging growth company need not present more than two years of audited financial statements in order for its registration statement, with respect to an initial public offering of its common equity securities, to be effective. Amends both SA and SEA to state that, in any other registration statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), an emerging growth company need not present financial data for any period before the earliest audited period presented in connection with its initial public offering. Authorizes the SEC to recognize, as generally accepted accounting principles, those established by a standard setting body that, in addition to other criteria, has not established any accounting principles that would require an emerging growth company to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standard as of an effective date earlier than the one applying to a company that is not an issuer. Amends the the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to exempt a registered public accounting firm that prepares or issues a report on its audit of an emerging growth company from the requirement that it attest to, and report on, any assessment of internal controls the company's management has made. Modifies the application to emerging growth companies of any auditing or other professional standards the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board may establish that were proposed by one or more professional groups of accountants. Exempts an emerging growth company from any such rules requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and the issuer's financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis). Applies this exemption also with respect to any additional rules adopted by the Board after enactment of this Act, unless the SEC decides otherwise and determines that their application to emerging growth companies is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, after considering the protection of investors and whether the action will promote efficiency, competition, and capital formation. Amends SA to deem not to constitute an offer for sale or offer to sell a security, for the purposes of prospectus and specified registration requirements, a broker's or dealer's publication or distribution of a written, electronic, or oral research report about an emerging growth company that is the subject of a proposed public offering of its common equity securities pursuant to a registration statement the issuer proposes to file, or has filed, or that is effective, even if the broker or dealer is participating or will participate in the registered offering of the issuer's securities. Prohibits the SEC and any registered national securities association from adopting or maintaining any conflict-of-interest rule or regulation in connection with an initial public offering of the common equity of an emerging growth company that restricts: (1) which associated persons (based on functional role) of a broker, dealer, or member of a national securities association may arrange for communications between a securities analyst and a potential investor; or (2) a securities analyst from participating in any communications with the management of an emerging growth company that is also attended by any other associated person of a broker, dealer, or member of a national securities association whose functional role is other than as a securities analyst. Authorizes an emerging growth company, or any person authorized to act on behalf of one, to engage in oral or written communications with potential investors that are qualified institutional buyers or institutions that are accredited investors to determine whether such investors might have an interest in a contemplated securities offering, either before or after the filing of a registration statement with the SEC. Prohibits the SEC and any registered national securities association from adopting or maintaining any rule or regulation prohibiting any broker, dealer, or member of a national securities association from publishing or distributing any research report, or making a public appearance, with respect to the securities of an emerging growth company. Amends SA to authorize an emerging growth company, before its initial public offering date, to submit to the SEC a draft registration statement for confidential nonpublic review by SEC staff before the public filing, provided that the initial confidential submission and all amendments to it are publicly filed with the SEC within 21 days before the issuer conducts a "road show." Declares that the SEC, however, shall not be compelled to disclose such information. (A "road show" is an offer that contains a presentation regarding an offering by one or more members of the issuer's management and includes discussion of the issuer, its management, and/or the securities being offered.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2011
Second Amendment Protection Act of 2011 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should not adopt any treaty that poses a threat to national sovereignty or abridges the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, such as the right to bear arms, and should cease the provision of financial support to any entity that does so. Prohibits the United States from providing any funding to the United Nations (U.N.) for a fiscal year unless the President certifies to Congress that the U.N. has not taken action to infringe on the rights of individuals in the United States to possess a firearm or ammunition, or abridge any of the other constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2011
Recognizes the importance of Christmas symbols and traditions. Disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas. Supports the use of these symbols and traditions by those who celebrate Christmas.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2011
North American Energy Access Act - Prohibits construction, operation, or maintenance of the oil pipeline and related facilities described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Keystone XL Pipeline Project issued by the Department of State on August 26, 2011 (including any modified version of that pipeline and related facilities), unless it is in compliance with the terms of a permit prescribed under this Act. Instructs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), to issue, within 30 days after receipt of an application, a permit for such pipeline and related facilities implemented in accordance with such Final EIS. Deems a permit to have been issued if FERC has not acted upon a permit application within 30 days after receipt. Declares FERC approval a prerequisite to authorization for a permit applicant to make substantial modifications to either the pipeline route or any other term of the Final EIS. Directs FERC to: (1) enter into a memorandum of understanding with the state of Nebraska for review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 of any modification to the proposed pipeline route, and (2) complete consideration and approval of such modification within 30 days after receiving the governor's approval. Deems approval to have been issued if FERC has not acted within 30 days after receiving an application for approval of a modification. Declares a permit issued under this Act to be the sole legal authority to construct, operate, and maintain the Keystone XL Pipeline Project and related facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2011
Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2011 - Imposes criminal penalties on anyone who knowingly or knowingly attempts to: (1) perform an abortion knowing that the abortion is sought based on the sex, gender, color or race of the child, or the race of a parent; (2) use force or the threat of force to intentionally injure or intimidate any person for the purpose of coercing a sex-selection or race-selection abortion; (3) solicit or accept funds for the performance of such an abortion; or (4) transport a woman into the United States or across a state line for the purpose of obtaining such an abortion. Authorizes civil actions, for verifiable money damages for injuries and punitive damages, by: (1) fathers, or maternal grandparents if the mother is an unemancipated minor, of unborn children who are the subject of an abortion performed or attempted through any of the above violations; and (2) women upon whom an abortion has been performed or attempted with a knowing or attempted use of force or threat of force to intentionally injure or intimidate any person for the purpose of coercing a sex-selection or race-selection abortion. Authorizes, to prevent an abortion provider from performing or attempting further abortions in violation of this Act, injunctive relief to be obtained by the women upon whom such an abortion is performed or attempted, spouses or parents of a woman upon whom such an abortion is performed, or the Attorney General (DOJ). Deems a violation of this Act to be prohibited discrimination under title VI (Federally Assisted Programs) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (Violators of title VI lose federal funding.) Requires a medical or mental health professional to report known or suspected violations to law enforcement authorities. Imposes criminal penalties for a failure to so report. Prohibits a woman having such an abortion from being prosecuted or held civilly liable. Excludes from the definition of "abortion" actions taken to terminate a pregnancy if the intent is to save the life or preserve the health of the unborn child, remove a dead unborn child caused by spontaneous abortion, or remove an ectopic pregnancy.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2011
Amends the Railway Labor Act to require the National Mediation Board to apply the same procedures, including voting standards, to the direct decertification of a labor organization as are applied to elections to certify a representative.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2011
Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to add provisions concerning cyber threat intelligence and information sharing. Defines "cyber threat intelligence" as information in the possession of an element of the intelligence community directly pertaining to a vulnerability of, or threat to, a system or network of a government or private entity, including information pertaining to the protection of a system or network from: (1) efforts to degrade, disrupt, or destroy such system or network; or (2) theft or misappropriation of private or government information, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information. Requires the Director of National Intelligence to: (1) establish procedures to allow intelligence community elements to share cyber threat intelligence with private-sector entities, and (2) encourage the sharing of such intelligence. Requires the procedures established to ensure that such intelligence is only: (1) shared with certified entities or a person with an appropriate security clearance, (2) shared consistent with the need to protect U.S. national security, and (3) used in a manner that protects such intelligence from unauthorized disclosure. Provides for guidelines for the granting of security clearance approvals to certified entities or officers or employees of such entities. Authorizes a cybersecurity provider (a non-governmental entity that provides goods or services intended to be used for cybersecurity purposes), with the express consent of a protected entity (an entity that contracts with a cybersecurity provider) to: (1) use cybersecurity systems to identify and obtain cyber threat information in order to protect the rights and property of the protected entity; and (2) share cyber threat information with any other entity designated by the protected entity, including the federal government. Regulates the use and protection of shared information, including prohibiting the use of such information to gain a competitive advantage and, if shared with the federal government, exempts such information from public disclosure. Prohibits a civil or criminal cause of action against a protected entity, a self-protected entity (an entity that provides goods or services for cybersecurity purposes to itself), or a cybersecurity provider acting in good faith under the above circumstances. Directs the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board to submit annually to Congress a review of the sharing and use of such information by the federal government, as well as recommendations for improvements and modifications to address privacy and civil liberties concerns. Preempts any state statute that restricts or otherwise regulates an activity authorized by the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2011
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is unconstitutional in its entirety, and (2) the Anti-Injunction Act applies to neither the individual mandate nor to the penalty provision that enforces it and thus does not preclude the federal courts from finding PPACA unconstitutional in its entirety.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2011
Stop Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act of 2011 - Prohibits a provider of commercial mobile communications service from receiving universal service support under specified provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 for the provision of such service through the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Lifeline program (a program that provides discounts on monthly telephone service to qualifying low-income consumers).
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2011
Adds the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (Bureau) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Reestablishes the position of Vice Chief of the Bureau. Terminates the position of Director of the Joint Staff of the Bureau and transfers existing duties of the Director to the Vice Chief.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2011
Financial Institutions Examination Fairness and Reform Act - Amends the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Act of 1978 to require a federal financial institutions regulatory agency to make a final examination report to a financial institution within 60 days of the later of: (1) the exit interview for an examination of the institution, or (2) the provision of additional information by the institution relating to the examination. Sets a deadline for the exit interview if a financial institution is not subject to a resident examiner program. Sets forth examination standards for financial institutions. Prohibits federal financial institutions regulatory agencies from requiring a well capitalized financial institution to raise additional capital in lieu of an action prohibited by the examination standards. Establishes in the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council an Office of Examination Ombudsman. Grants a financial institution the right to appeal a material supervisory determination contained in a final report of examination. Requires the Ombudsman to determine the merits of the appeal on the record, after an opportunity for a hearing before an independent administrative law judge. Declares the decision by the Ombudsman on an appeal to: (1) be the final agency action, and (2) bind the agency whose supervisory determination was the subject of the appeal and the financial institution making the appeal. Amends the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 to require: (1) the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to establish an independent intra-agency appellate process in connection with the regulatory appeals process; and (2) appropriate safeguards to protect an insured depository institution or insured credit union from retaliation by the CFPB, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Board, or any other federal banking agency for exercising its rights.
![Official portrait of Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/6916065185b49de40f52cad4_200.jpg)