United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Relief and Investment for Student Entrepreneurs Act or the RISE Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 by allowing a qualified entrepreneur with a loan under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program to defer loan payments for up to 3 years. A "qualified entrepreneur" is a borrower who: (1) has received a degree during the 10-year period before the date of the deferment, (2) has at least one registered business entity, (3) has raised capital of not less than $30,000 for such business entity, and (4) has an outstanding loan balance of not less than $5,000. The Department of Education may cancel up to $17,500 of federal direct and unsubsidized Stafford loans for a borrower who: (1) has operated a small business located in a historically underutilized business zone for at least three years, and (2) is not currently in default on the loan.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Inclusion Act of 2016 This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to broaden the types of repayment plans under which an eligible public service employee may make qualifying payments for purposes of the public service loan forgiveness program.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Partnerships for Progress and Prosperity Act or the P3 Act This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education for the improvement of students' education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Each grantee shall partner with an employer in a STEM field to: assist students in obtaining internships or apprenticeships, develop STEM coursework curricula and metrics, carry out dual-credit courses, provide tutoring and mentoring, enable students and teachers to attend STEM events outside of the classroom, provide after-school and summer STEM programs, and purchase educational materials or equipment to facilitate STEM instruction. In awarding grants under the program, ED shall give special consideration to applicants that: promote in-classroom engagement between STEM professionals and students; use technology-based materials and content; pair mentors and tutors with students struggling to meet curriculum benchmarks; in the case of LEA applicants, serve schools in which most students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch; and propose to use grant funds to target interventions for populations that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. Each grantee shall provide matching funds equal to 50% of the grant amount.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Recognizes the celebration of Filipino American History Month as: a study of the advancement of Filipino Americans; and a time to renew efforts toward the research and examination of history and culture so as to provide an opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more about Filipino Americans, and to appreciate the historic contributions of Filipino Americans to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2016
Inclusive Campuses Act This bill amends title III (Institutional Aid) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions of higher education to use title III funds to establish resource centers on campus that provide support to and education about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 560 East Pleasant Valley Road, Port Hueneme, California, as the "U.S. Naval Construction Battalion 'Seabees' Fallen Heroes Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2016 or the POWER Act This bill requires the U.S. Attorney for a judicial district to lead at least one public event that promotes pro bono legal services as a critical way to: (1) empower survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and (2) engage citizens in assisting those survivors. A special but similar rule applies to districts containing Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Each U.S. Attorney shall: (1) have discretion on the design, organization, and implementation of such public events; and (2) seek to maximize an event's local impact and the access of such survivors to high-quality pro bono legal services.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2016 This bill amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) and XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to indefinitely extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients. Under current law, such coverage is limited to 36 months following a transplant.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Encourages the observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week. Acknowledges the importance of national wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution to local economies. Reaffirms the support of the House of Representatives for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Opening Doors for Youth Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Labor to administer summer and year-round youth employment programs that: (1) match youth participants with appropriate employers for high-quality employment opportunities; (2) subsidize participants' wages; (3) provide specified coaching and mentoring; (4) provide participants with supportive services to enable program participation, if applicable; (5) develop plans to increase unsubsidized employment opportunities; and (6) connect participants with literacy services. In addition, Labor shall award competitive grants to assist community partnerships in improving high school graduation and youth employment rates. Grantees shall use funds to: (1) make appropriate use of existing data collection systems to target youths; (2) develop comprehensive pathways to higher education and employment; (3) provide comprehensive support systems; and (4) provide comprehensive systems aimed at preventing youths from disconnecting from education, training, and employment. The bill establishes labor standards, performance accountability measures, and reporting requirements with respect to each of these new programs.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Recognizes and encourages the observance of Small Business Saturday. Supports efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Esteems the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Commends the leadership, staff, scholars, designers, construction workers, volunteers, charter members, and donors who worked tirelessly to realize the venerable dream of opening the National Museum of African American History and Culture of the Smithsonian Institution. Encourages all citizens and residents of, and visitors to, the United States to visit the museum when touring the nation's capital.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Never Again Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), upon the request of a veteran who is enrolled in the VA health care system and entitled to in-patient psychiatric care, to furnish such veteran with in-patient psychiatric care at: (1) the VA facility that is closest to where the veteran resides and that has the capacity and capability to provide such care, or (2) at a non-VA facility if the VA facility lacks such capacity or capability.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act This bill increases the monthly pay rate for Peace Corps volunteers. The Peace Corps shall provide initial medical care to a former volunteer for a service-related condition for 180 days after termination of service, which may be extended under specified circumstances. The bill grants the government jurisdiction over, and imposes penalties upon, persons who commit certain crimes outside of the United States against a volunteer. The bill sets forth provisions regarding the use of mefloquine and other anti-malaria drugs, including appropriate medical officer training. The Peace Corps Act is amended to authorize the designation of a position as a critical management support position if the position requires specialized technical or professional skills and knowledge of Peace Corps operations. An appointment may not exceed five years. The President shall ensure that each overseas post has appropriate medical services, including by detailing to such a post the licensed medical staff of other U.S. agencies. Each volunteer applicant shall be provided with information regarding crime and health risks and volunteer satisfaction with respect to the country in which the applicant has been invited to serve. The Office of Victim Advocacy in Peace Corps headquarters is made permanent. The bill: (1) expands membership of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council from 8 to up to 14 members, (2) requires at least one council member to have mental health field expertise, (3) extends the council through October 1, 2023, and (4) requires the council to establish an email address to permit volunteers and former volunteers to communicate directly and confidentially with the council. The President shall conduct annual volunteer surveys through September 30, 2023 (currently through September 30, 2018). The Inspector General of the Peace Corps may hire an expert, consultant, or organization without regard to certain daily salary requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
This bill amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require candidates for nomination or election to the office of President or Vice President to include in financial disclosure reports a statement from the Department of the Treasury indicating whether or not the Internal Revenue Service is in the process of auditing any of the candidates' individual federal income tax returns, and, if so, the year of the tax return involved. Each candidate who won the nomination of a political party for election to the office of President or Vice President in 2016 must comply with this bill by September 26, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Declares that the House of Representatives has heard with profound sorrow of the death of the Honorable Mark Takai, a Representative from Hawaii. Declares that when the House adjourns on September 14, 2016, it adjourn as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
United States and Israel Space Cooperation Act This bill directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to continue to work with the Israel Space Agency in identifying and cooperatively pursuing peaceful space exploration and science initiatives in areas of mutual interest.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Streamlining Income-driven, Manageable Payments on Loans for Education Act or the SIMPLE Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise the process for enrolling a borrower in federal student loan repayment plans when the borrower is delinquent on payments for student loans under the Direct Loan program. Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) may use the tax information of certain delinquent borrowers for purposes of calculating their income-driven repayment plan options. ED must notify those borrowers about their delinquency and repayment plan options. ED must also establish and implement procedures for automatically recertifying the income of certain delinquent borrowers for the purpose of determining their repayment obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 830 Kuhn Drive in Chula Vista, California, as the "Jonathan 'J.D.' De Guzman Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2016
Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act of 2016 or the Dialysis Patient Access to Integrated-care, Empowerment, Nephrologists, Treatment, and Services Demonstration Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a demonstration program for the provision of integrated care to Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Under the voluntary program, eligible participating providers may form organizations to offer ESRD integrated care models and serve as medical homes for program-eligible beneficiaries. Such a model: (1) shall cover medical and hospital services, other than hospice care, under Medicare; (2) must include benefits for transition into palliative care; and (3) may cover prescription drug benefits. An organization must offer at least one open network model but may also offer one or more preferred network models. An organization shall return savings achieved under the models to program-eligible beneficiaries. A beneficiary shall have the opportunity to: (1) opt out of the program, (2) make an assignment change into an open network model offered by a different organization, or (3) elect a preferred network model. The bill establishes requirements regarding: (1) benefits for program-eligible beneficiaries who are also eligible for Medicaid benefits, (2) program quality and reporting, (2) ESRD integrated care strategy, (3) program operation and scope, (4) beneficiary notification, and (5) payment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2016
Supports the designation of National Estuaries Week. Acknowledges the importance of estuaries to sustaining employment in the United States and the nation's economic well-being and prosperity. Expresses the intent of the House of Representatives to continue working to understand, protect, and restore U.S. estuaries.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Strengthening Forgiveness for Public Servants Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Department of Education (ED) to cancel 15%, 15%, 20%, 20%, and 30% of the amount a borrower owes after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years of public service employment, respectively, on a William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan made after this bill's enactment. (Currently, the balance of a borrower's Direct Loan is canceled if the borrower is not in default and has made 120 monthly payments on such loan while employed as a public service employee.) The bill: (1) requires borrowers availing themselves of such loan cancellation to submit an employment certification form that includes self-certification of employment and employer certification of employment dates, and (2) places the borrower's loan in deferment during the period in which the borrower is employed in an eligible public service job if the borrower submits such form to ED. If a portion of a loan is canceled for any year, the interest on such loan for such year shall be canceled.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Know Your Repayment Options Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Department of Education (ED) to annually give federal student loan borrowers who have graduated or departed from school detailed information, including monthly amount and lifetime payment amount, for each repayment option available to the borrower. To provide this individualized information to borrowers, ED must establish a process for annual verification of the borrower's annual income and the outstanding balance of principal and interest due on federal loans. Borrowers may opt out of being provided this information.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Eliminate So-Called Right-to-Work Legislation Nationwide Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to repeal the disclaimer that nothing in the law shall be construed as authorizing the execution or application of agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment in any state or territory in which such execution or application is prohibited by state or territorial law. (The bill preempts contrary state or territorial law to allow the execution or application of agreements requiring union membership.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
LGBT Pride Act This bill directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to take measures to increase the frequency of collection of information on the sexual orientation and gender identity of deceased individuals through the National Violent Death Reporting System. The bill authorizes appropriations to expand participation in the National Violent Death Reporting System to all states.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
21st Century Child Care Investment Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for employment-related expenses for services provided by a high quality child care center. The credit applies to taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes below specified levels and is limited to: (1) $14,000 for each qualifying child who is under the age of three by the end of the year; and (2) $5,000 for each qualifying child who has attained the age of three by the end of the year, with adjustments for inflation after 2017. A "qualifying child" is a dependent who is under the age of five. The care must be provided by a facility that: (1) receives a fee, payment, or grant for providing care for children (other than just children who reside at the facility and regardless of whether such facility is operated for profit); and (2) meets state licensing requirements. For taxable years beginning more than five years after enactment of this bill, the facility must also: (1) meet high quality rating requirements under the quality rating and improvement system of the state in which the care is provided, and (2) be certified by the Department of Health and Human Services. A portion of the high quality child care tax credit is refundable, depending on the adjusted gross income of the taxpayer. The Department of the Treasury must establish a program to, at the election of the taxpayer, make monthly advance payments of the credit directly to a high quality child care center. The bill also makes a portion of the dependent care tax credit refundable.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Letter of Estimated Annual Debt for Students Act of 2016 or the LEADS Act of 2016 This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 by requiring institutions of higher education to provide to each student with education loans for attending the institution an estimate of student loan borrowing costs, including: (1) the cumulative balance of education loans owed by the student, (2) the amount of new education loans expected to be disbursed during the year, (3) the projected cumulative balance of education loans that will be owed by the student after the student graduates, and (4) projected monthly payments to repay the loans. The estimates must be given to students before each academic year succeeding the one for which a loan was first received.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Birth Control Privacy Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit wellness programs from sharing with an employer information related to an individual's use of contraceptives.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2016
Checkpoint Safety Act of 2016 This bill revises minimum requirements for the deployment of armed law enforcement personnel at security screening locations at certain airports. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), formerly the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security of the Department of Transportation, shall order the deployment of at least one armed law enforcement officer within 300 feet of the security screening location and within the terminal during operating hours of each airport having annual enplanements of eight million or more or international enplanements of one million or more. The TSA shall order the deployment of additional armed law enforcement officers at such airports if deemed necessary to ensure airport security. The bill revises air transportation security program requirements to provide that such programs ensure: law enforcement presence at each airport is adequate to ensure the safety of passengers, as under current law, and their property; close cooperation between all relevant parties in ensuring airport security; high training standards for all security and law enforcement personnel; prompt notification of, and law enforcement response to, any security incidents at airports, including detention of persons who attempt to evade transportation security screening; and multiple means for TSA Officers or members of the public to request prompt law enforcement assistance in the airport. The bill repeals TSA authority for allowing deputized state and local law enforcement officers to be stationed other than at airport security screening locations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2016
Fair Employment Protection Act of 2016 This bill sets forth employer liability standards to be applied in employee harassment claims under specified provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Revised Statutes, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, employment discrimination laws relating to certain executive branch employees, and the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. The bill declares that employers under such Acts are liable for the acts of any individual whose harassment of an employee has created or continued an unlawful hostile work environment if, at the time of the harassment: (1) such individual was authorized by that employer to undertake or recommend tangible employment actions affecting the employee or to direct the employee's daily work activities, or (2) the negligence of the employer led to the creation or continuation of that hostile work environment (thus modifies the liability standards provided by the Supreme Court in Vance v. Ball State University , which limited the category of supervisors for whom an employer may be held vicariously liable to those individuals who have authority to take tangible employment actions).
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2016
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to enter into an agreement to obtain a statue of Eli Wiesel. The Joint Committee may authorize the Architect of the Capitol to enter into the agreement as well as related contracts. The Joint Committee shall place the statue in a suitable permanent location in the U.S. Capitol.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Advises the International Olympic Committee that the United States would welcome the holding of the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, California, the site designated by the United States Olympic Committee. Expresses the hope that the United States will be selected. Pledges cooperation and support toward the successful fulfillment of those games.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of State, with respect to covered countries, to annually include within either the relevant Annual Country Report on Human Rights, the International Religious Freedom Report, or other appropriate report an assessment of the nature and extent of national laws or enforceable policies regarding the identification, return, or restitution of wrongfully seized or transferred Holocaust era assets and compliance with the goals of the Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets and Related Issues, including: the return to the rightful owner of wrongfully seized or transferred property, including religious or communal property, or the provision of comparable substitute property or the payment of equitable compensation to the rightful owner; the use of the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art and the Terezin Declaration in settling claims involving publicly and privately held movable property; the restitution of heirless property to assist needy Holocaust survivors; and progress on the resolution of claims for U.S. citizen Holocaust survivors and family members. "Covered countries" means signatories to the Terezin Declaration that are determined by the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues to be countries of particular concern with respect to such restitution.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2016
Leveraging Effective Apprenticeships to Rebuild National Skills Act or the LEARNS Act This bill establishes, in the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor, an Office of Apprenticeship to: determine whether an apprenticeship program meets requirements for registration and maintains the standards necessary to remain registered, manage the national apprenticeship system (the collective group of registered apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship programs in the nation), and make grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to carry out projects that support development of pre-apprenticeship programs. The bill also establishes in Labor a National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships. Labor and the Department of Education shall establish a voluntary Registered Apprenticeship-College Collaborative consisting of the sponsors carrying out registered apprenticeship programs, two- or four-year postsecondary educational institutions, and organizations that represent such programs or institutions, that agree to meet certain criteria in order to promote stronger connections between the registered apprenticeship programs involved and participating two- and four-year postsecondary educational institutions. Labor shall make assistance payments to eligible sponsors of new registered apprenticeship programs or of existing programs that add employers as new partners, which may include joint labor-management registered apprenticeship programs.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
Modernizing Government Travel Act This bill requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to: (1) prescribe regulations to provide for the reimbursement of federal employees traveling on official business for the use of a transportation network company or innovative mobility technology, and (2) report on government savings resulting from such use. The Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall prescribe such regulations with respect to judicial branch employees. An "innovative mobility technology company" is an entity that utilizes innovative mobility technologies to provide alternatives to driving alone, including car-share, bike-share, carpool or vanpool, multimodal fare payment system, and app-based mobility providers. A "transportation network company": (1) is an entity that uses a digital network to connect riders to drivers affiliated with such entity in order for the driver to transport the rider using the driver's personal vehicle to a point chosen by the rider; and (2) does not include a shared expense carpool, a vanpool arrangement, or any other arrangement or service in which the driver receives a fee that does not exceed the driver's cost associated with providing the ride.
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 · 24 June 2016
Customer Non-Discrimination Act This bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation in places of public accommodation. It defines: "sex" to include a sex stereotype, sexual orientation or gender identity, and pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; "sexual orientation" as homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality; and "gender identity" as gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms, or characteristics, regardless of the individual's designated sex at birth. The bill expands the categories of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide: exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; goods, services, or programs, including a store, a shopping center, an online retailer or service provider, a salon, a bank, a gas station, a food bank, a service or care center, a shelter, a travel agency, a funeral parlor, or a health care, accounting, or legal service; or transportation services. "Establishment" shall not be construed to be limited to a physical facility or place. Protections against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin must include protections against discrimination based on: (1) an association with another person who is a member of such a protected class; or (2) a perception or belief, even if inaccurate, that an individual is a member of such a protected class. The bill prohibits the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 from providing a claim, defense, or basis for challenging such protections. The bill prohibits denial of an individual's access to a shared facility (including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room) that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2016
Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish statutory rights for sexual assault survivors, including the right to: (1) receive a forensic medical examination at no cost; (2) have a sexual assault evidence collection kit (i.e., rape kit) preserved for the maximum applicable statute of limitations; (3) receive written notification prior to destruction or disposal of a rape kit; and (4) be informed of the rights and policies under this section. Additionally, it makes statutory crime victims' rights applicable to sexual assault survivors. The bill amends the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 to include information about sexual assault services, programs, and providers in the description of services provided to victims. The bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to authorize the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of Justice Programs to make grants to states to develop sexual assault survivors' rights and policies and to disseminate written notice of such rights and policies to medical centers, hospitals, forensic examiners, sexual assault service providers, law enforcement agencies, and other state entities. DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must establish a joint working group to develop, coordinate, and disseminate best practices regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of forensic evidence. For purposes of this bill, the term "sexual assault survivor" includes a legal representative acting on behalf of a deceased victim of sexual assault.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2016
Voting Access Act This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require each state to comply with national standards established by the Election Assistance Commission for the location and operation of polling places used in elections for federal office. The Commission shall establish such standards and study instances of the misidentification by election officials of the political party registration of individuals attempting to vote in primary elections for federal office.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2016
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act and the Social Security Act (SSAct) to expand the collection and analysis of data in programs of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The bill sets forth provisions regarding cultural competence in federal health care programs and services, including provisions establishing the Robert T. Matsui Center for Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Health Care. HHS must engage in activities regarding health workforce diversity, including: (1) establishing a working group and a technical clearinghouse; (2) awarding grants to academic institutions; (3) establishing a health and health care disparities education program; and (4) providing for scholarships, student loan repayment and loan forgiveness, and research fellowships. Health Empowerment Zone Act of 2016 HHS may designate areas as health empowerment zones in communities that experience disproportionate disparities in health status and health care. HHS must engage in activities regarding the quality of and access to health care, including expanding access to health care and health care insurance for immigrants, designating centers of excellence at public hospitals and other health systems serving minority patients, increasing Medicaid payments to territories and to Native Hawaiian health centers, and providing for border health grants. The bill establishes: (1) programs to reduce health disparities affecting minorities and rural residents, and (2) an Office of Minority Health in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to revise requirements for qualified health plans, including to require plans to provide information on the availability of care in languages other than English. (Qualified health plans are sold on health insurance exchanges, are the only plans eligible for premium subsidies, and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.) The bill sets forth provisions regarding the health of women and children, including provisions to expand access to federal programs for immigrant women and children, eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes, and establish programs to reduce teenage pregnancies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must develop a multisite gestational diabetes research project. This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the SSAct to expand coverage of marriage and family therapist services, mental health counselor services, and substance abuse counselor services. Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2016 HHS must implement the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Program to achieve a reduction of at least 25% in the mortality rate of lung cancer by 2020. Prostate Research, Outreach, Screening, Testing, Access, and Treatment Effectiveness Act of 2016 or the PROSTATE Act The VA must take action to address prostate cancer, including by establishing the Interagency Prostate Cancer Coordination and Education Task Force. Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2016 HHS must implement programs to address hepatitis B and C. Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act of 2016 The CDC must establish the National Acquired Bone Marrow Failure Disease Registry. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must develop guidelines to screen minority patient populations which have a higher than average risk for many chronic diseases and cancers. This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the SSAct, including to expand coverage to include routine medical costs when a beneficiary is in an approved clinical trial. HHS must expand HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention activities, including: (1) identification of issues that impede disease status awareness and retention in appropriate care, (2) research into treatment adherence strategies, (3) grants to public health agencies and faith-based organizations, (4) the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative, and (5) health workforce training for culturally competent care. HHS must award grants for comprehensive sex education programs for adolescents. A program that supports abstinence education is eliminated. Community organizations may distribute sexual barrier protection devices (e.g., condoms) and engage in sexually transmitted infection counseling and prevention education in federal correctional facilities. Stop AIDS in Prison Act The Bureau of Prisons must develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV testing, treatment, and prevention for inmates. Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders Health Disparities Act The National Institutes of Health must expand research addressing sleep health disparities. The CDC must expand activities regarding sleep disorders. The bill sets forth provisions regarding the use of health information technology to reduce health disparities, particularly in racial and ethnic minority communities. The bill prohibits discrimination in federal health care programs and research activities. HHS must establish: (1) the Office of Health Disparities in the Office for Civil Rights, (2) civil rights compliance offices in each HHS agency that administers health programs, and (3) a program at the National Center for Environmental Health on health impact assessment, which is the process of determining the potential effects of a policy, program, or project on health.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Small Business Health Care Relief Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and other laws to exempt qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) from certain requirements that apply to group health plans. A qualified small employer HRA is offered by employers that have fewer than 50 full-time employees and do not offer group health plans to any of their employees. A qualified small employer HRA must: be provided on the same terms to all eligible employees of the employer; be funded solely by the employer without salary reduction contributions; provide, after an employee provides proof of coverage, for the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses of the employee and family members; and limit annual payments and reimbursements to specified dollar amounts. HRAs that meet these requirements are not considered group health plans and are exempt from various requirements that apply to group health plans, including coverage and cost-sharing requirements. (Under current law, employers that sponsor group health plans that do not meet specified requirements are subject to an excise tax.) Coverage and payments under a qualified HRA are excluded from gross income, unless the employee does not have minimum essential coverage for the month in which the medical care was provided. Employers offering a qualified HRA must notify employees in advance regarding permitted benefits and report benefit information on W-2 forms and to health exchanges. The bill sets forth requirements for determining whether an employee covered under an HRA is also eligible for premium subsidies under PPACA.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2016
Original LGBTQ Pride Month Resolution of 2016 Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights are human rights to be recognized and protected by the U.S. Constitution; and (2) the United States should continue to strive to ensure that the promise of equality is realized for all people in the United States. Recognizes that all people in the United States should be treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Acknowledges the struggle of the Stonewall protestors (human rights protesters at the Stonewall Inn in New York City on June 28, 1969) and countless other LGBTQ people for equality, Encourages the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2016
SOAR to Health and Wellness Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a pilot program, to be known as Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training (or SOAR to Health and Wellness Training), to train health care providers and other related providers to: identify potential human trafficking victims, work with law enforcement to report and facilitate communication with such victims, refer victims to social or victims service agencies or organizations, provide such victims with coordinated care tailored to their circumstances, and consider integrating this training with existing training programs. The pilot program must include the functions of the training program with the same name that was operating before this bill's enactment and the following initiatives: engaging stakeholders to develop a flexible training module, supporting training in diverse health care sites, providing technical assistance to health education programs, developing a strategy to incentivize the use of training materials developed under this bill and the implementation of a nationwide health care protocol, and developing a methodology for collecting and reporting data on the number of human trafficking victims served in health care settings or other related provider settings. The pilot program is authorized through FY2022. HHS must report on the number of facilities operating under the pilot program, the number of providers trained through the pilot program, and these numbers for the program operating before the pilot program.
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