United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Cuban Immigrant Work Opportunity Act of 2015 This bill makes Cuban nationals who enter the United States on or after the date of enactment of this Act ineligible for refugee/parolee assistance under the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980. Conforming amendments are made to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Inspector General of the Social Security Administration shall report to Congress describing methods for enforcing the loss of Supplemental Security Income eligibility by persons who are absent from the United States for at least one month.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Kari's Law Act of 2015 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require multi-line telephone systems to have a default configuration that allows users to directly initiate a call to 9-1-1 (without dialing any additional digit, code, prefix, or post-fix, including any trunk-access code such as the digit "9") from any station equipped with dialing facilities. Businesses installing such systems must configure the systems to provide a notification to a central location at the facility where the system is installed when a person at the facility initiates a call to 9-1-1 using the system, provided that the system is able to be so configured without an improvement to the hardware.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Consumer Protection and Choice Act This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a deferred presentment transaction except as provided under this Act. A "deferred presentment transaction" is one in which currency or other payment is provided to a consumer in exchange for a consumer's check or other payment instrument and an agreement that such check or payment instrument shall be held for a deferment period prior to presentment, deposit, or redemption. If the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) determines that a state has in effect a law that provides for the licensing of deferred presentment providers and the regulation of deferred presentment transactions, and that meets the requirements specified by this Act, any CFPB regulations concerning such transactions and providers shall not apply in such state. Such a state law must: require a provider to be licensed by the state; establish a transaction database; require a provider to verify through such database that a consumer entering into such a transaction does not have an outstanding transaction; require a provider to report immediately to such database information about each transaction entered into and each transaction paid or settled; require that a transaction agreement be in writing and allow the consumer to rescind the agreement within the first 24 hours; require a transaction agreement to limit the interest and fees to no more that 10% of the transaction amount, the processing fee to $5, the transaction amount to $500, and the duration of the transaction to no less than 7 days and no more than 31 days; and allow a 60-day grace period after the contractual repayment date for a consumer to repay the amount due, subject to early termination if a consumer fails to complete a course with a consumer credit counseling agency. The bill makes these changes effective 24 months after enactment and prohibits the CFPB from establishing or enforcing any regulation governing deferred presentment transactions or payday loans during such period.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Emergency Citrus Disease Response Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a full deduction in the current taxable year of the cost of replanting lost or damaged citrus plants. The taxpayer must own an equity interest of at least 50% in such replanted plants and may deduct costs paid or incurred through 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Office of Strategic Services in recognition of their service and contributions during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2015
Honors the 50th anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Acknowledges those whose support and efforts led to passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Recognizes the significant investment the Higher Education Act of 1965 has made in the lives of American students, families, and this nation as a whole. Encourages all Americans to recognize and celebrate the important historical milestone represented by the passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and its ideals of improving educational access and affordability.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2015
Student Loan Opportunity Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax-exempt private activity bond financing, to: (1) eliminate the restriction on nonprofit corporations that acquire student loan notes to notes incurred under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (thus allowing such corporations to access tax-exempt financing for other types of student loans), and (2) expand the operations of such corporations to include performing student assistance related activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
This bill prohibits federal departments and agencies from including the Social Security account number of any individual on any document sent by mail unless the department or agency head determines that inclusion of that Social Security number on the document is necessary.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act This bill prohibits an executive agency from using the following terms in any rule, regulation, interpretation, publication, other document, display, or sign issued by the agency except to the extent that the term is used in quoting or reproducing text written by a source other than an officer or employee of the agency: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national, and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status. In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of various U.S. administrative bureaus and agencies, the term "foreign national" in federal law means any individual other than an individual who: (1) is a U.S. citizen; or (2) though not a U.S. citizen, owes permanent allegiance to the United States. Any reference in any federal statute, rule, regulation, executive order, publication, or other U.S. document to the term: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national is deemed to refer to the term "foreign national," and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status is deemed to refer to the term "undocumented foreign national." Conforming amendments are made to specified Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015
Stop Pay for Members Act This bill declares that the obligation to pay the basic pay of Members of Congress may not be satisfied if the U.S. public debt reaches the public debt limit until: (1) all other obligations of the U.S. government then due have been satisfied; or (2) if earlier, the ability of the U.S. Treasury to satisfy such obligations in a timely manner is restored, whether by an increase in the public debt limit or otherwise. Each Member of Congress consents and agrees that payment of basic pay in accordance with this Act shall constitute a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands for service as a Member during the period covered by the payment.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Mental Health and Safe Communities Act of 2015 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants for: (1) mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, (2) state compliance with federal mental health records requirements, (3) court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment, (4) pretrial screening and supervision, (5) behavioral health assessments and intervention, (6) forensic assertive community treatment, and (7) the establishment of a National Criminal Justice and Mental Health Training and Technical Assistance Center. In addition, the bill expands the purposes for which grant funds may be used under existing programs related to: (1) public safety and community policing, (2) staffing for adequate fire and emergency response, (3) school security, and (4) residential substance abuse treatment for inmates. DOJ must establish a pilot program to determine the effectiveness of diverting eligible offenders to drug or mental health courts. Each of the federal uniformed services must be provided specialized mental health training. With respect to an existing grant program for drug treatment alternatives to incarceration, the bill revises program requirements and expands the program to also cover mental health treatment alternatives. Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act of 2015 DOJ is further authorized to award grants: (1) for sequential intercept mapping, which is aimed at minimizing criminal justice involvement for individuals with mental illness; (2) for various programs related to the behavioral health of veterans; (3) to assist correctional facilities in addressing the needs of inmates with mental illness; and (4) to train law enforcement in responding to situations involving individuals with mental illness. The bill revises the definition of "preliminarily qualified offenders" who must be targeted by certain grant-funded collaboration programs between mental health and justice agencies. The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 and revises the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. Current law prohibits the sale or disposition of a firearm or ammunition to any person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution. The bill instead prohibits such a sale or disposition to any person who has been adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed to a psychiatric hospital, as defined by the bill. The bill also establishes: (1) procedures for administrative review of a determination that a person has been adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed to a psychiatric hospital, and (2) conditions for removal of records from NICS. The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 the following: (1) adult and juvenile collaboration programs, and (2) mental health courts and qualified drug treatment programs.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from rehiring any individual who was previously employed by the IRS but was removed for misconduct or whose employment was terminated for cause.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015
Medicare Premium Fairness Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) prevent 2016 increases to Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles for enrollees, and (2) authorize federal funding to offset the corresponding reduction in aggregate monthly premiums. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must annually determine the monthly actuarial rate upon which Part B premiums and deductibles are based. The bill temporarily freezes that rate at the 2015 level for enrollees, effectively preventing increases to premiums and deductibles for those enrollees in 2016. (Current law already protects Part B enrollees whose benefits are deducted from their Social Security benefits from premium increases that would result in a smaller Social Security check.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2015
This bill modifies the existing authority for the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande River near Rio Grande City, Texas. The authority, which currently expires 66 years after completion of the bridge, is made permanent and expanded to include the successors or assigns of the company. The bridge must not consist of more than 14 lanes. The company and its successors and assigns may use eminent domain to acquire certain land needed for the bridge, subject to Texas laws and requirements for just compensation and public proceedings.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2015
Positive Train Control Enforcement and Implementation Act of 2015 This bill extends deadlines and modifies requirements for railroad carriers and providers of intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation to implement positive train control (PTC) systems. (A PTC system is a communications and signaling system designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, over-speed derailments, incursions into established work zone limits, and the movement of a train through a switch left in the wrong position. Railroads which carry passengers or have high-volume freight traffic with certain hazardous materials are required to implement a PTC system.) Within 60 days of enactment of this bill, each Class I railroad carrier (the largest operators by revenue) and provider of intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation must submit to the Department of Transportation (DOT) a plan for implementing PTC by December 31, 2018, instead of the December 31, 2015, deadline required under current law. DOT may extend the deadline if specified requirements are met. The revised plan must include a detailed schedule and sequence for fully implementing PTC in a manner that complies with specified regulations, and railroads must implement PTC in accordance with the plan. DOT may authorize a railroad carrier or other entity to begin the provisional operation of a PTC system without the required certification if it is necessary to enable the safe implementation of PTC in phases.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2015
Interim Consolidated Storage Act of 2015 This bill amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to authorize the Department of Energy (DOE) to enter into new contracts (or modify existing contracts) with the licensee of an interim consolidated storage facility in order to take title to and store in it either high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel of domestic origin. The bill defines: "interim consolidated storage facility" as a facility licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the storage of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel received from DOE or from two or more persons that generate or hold title to such fuel generated at a civilian nuclear power reactor, and "high-level radioactive waste" as including Greater than Class C waste. The bill assigns priority to storage of such waste and spent fuel located on sites without an operating nuclear reactor. The bill makes appropriations targeted for the Nuclear Waste Fund available to pay for costs in connection with storage in an interim consolidated storage facility. Beginning in FY2016 DOE shall not expend, on fees for dry modes of storage of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel, any amounts exceeding the cumulative amount of interest generated by the Fund each fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2015
This bill provides $135 million in FY2016 emergency appropriations for the construction of a new courthouse for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The bill designates the funds as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from limits on discretionary spending and other budget enforcement rules. The construction of the courthouse must include a real property exchange between the city of San Antonio, Texas, and the General Services Administration (GSA) involving: (1) federally owned land including the Wood Courthouse and Spears Judicial Training Center, and (2) city-owned land commonly known as the San Antonio Police Headquarters Site. Within six months of enactment of this bill, the GSA must provide a progress report to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
Border Enforcement Accountability, Oversight, and Community Engagement Act of 2015 Establishes: (1) the Department of Homeland Security Border Oversight Commission, and (2) a northern border subcommittee and a southern border subcommittee within the Commission. Requires the Commission and the subcommittees to: (1) recommend border enforcement policy improvements; (2) evaluate policies of federal agencies operating along the borders to protect due process and human rights of border residents and visitors, protect land owner private property rights, and reduce the number of migrant deaths; (3) recommend safety improvements for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel; and (4) evaluate training and the extent to which CBP supervisory and management personnel practices encourage workforce development and promote field safety. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to rename the position of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the Ombudsman for Border and Immigration Related Concerns. Revises related function and administrative provisions, including requiring the Ombudsman to establish a Border Community Liaison Office in each Border Patrol sector on the northern and southern borders. Sets forth specified training and continuing education requirements for CBP personnel. Directs DHS to submit to Congress an assessment of current guidelines for managing ports of entry under DHS control. Directs: (1) CBP to report to Congress regarding deaths occurring along the U.S.-Mexico border, and (2) the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review such report. Directs: (1) GAO to examine the extent to which CBP has clarified use of force policies, and (2) DHS to require CBP to implement any recommendations contained in such examination.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2015 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to modify the definition of "controlled substance analogue" to mean a substance that has a similar (previously, substantially similar) chemical structure and pharmacological effect to a schedule I controlled substance. The CSA's requirements, prohibitions, and restrictions with respect to schedule I controlled substances apply to the manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale (but not possession) of a controlled substance analogue. The bill amends the Controlled Substances Analogue Enforcement Act of 1986 to add certain synthetic substances to schedule I of the CSA.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2015
Protecting Local Business Opportunity Act T his bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to allow two or more employers to be considered joint employers for purposes of the Act only if each shares and exercises control over essential terms and conditions of employment and such control over these matters is actual, direct, and immediate.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research Act of 2015 or the Childhood Cancer STAR Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide support to collect the medical specimens and information of children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer to improve the understanding of these cancers and of the effects of treatment. The national childhood cancer registry is reauthorized through FY2020 and revised to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to states to improve tracking of childhood cancers. This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers and distributors of investigational drugs to publish policies for compassionate use of the drugs. The Department of Health and Human Services must: (1) support pilot programs to develop or study models for monitoring and caring for childhood cancer survivors throughout their lives, (2) convene a Workforce Development Collaborative on Medical and Psychosocial Care for Pediatric Cancer Survivors, (3) establish a task force on standards for high-quality childhood cancer survivorship care, and (4) carry out a demonstration project to improve care coordination as childhood cancer survivors transition to adult care. The NIH must support research on: (1) outcomes for, and barriers faced by, pediatric cancer survivors within minority or medically underserved populations; and (2) follow-up care for pediatric cancer survivors, including research on the late effects of cancer treatment and long-term complications. The Government Accountability Office must make recommendations to address barriers to childhood cancer survivors obtaining and paying for adequate medical care.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand Medicare coverage to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dental care.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
This bill directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Lyndon Baines Johnson in recognition of his contributions to the nation, including passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Social Security Amendments Act (Medicare) of 1965, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Higher Education Act of 1965, and the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965. Requires such medal to be given to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum following its award, where it will be available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2015
Student Agriculture Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of a student farmer gain from the sale or exchange of personal property, including livestock, produced by such student farmer. The bill defines "student farmer" as an individual who has not attained age 18 and who is enrolled in a program established by Future Farmers of America or in a 4-H club.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2015
This bill authorizes the governor of a state that shares a border with Canada or Mexico to designate up to 5% of its apportionment of surface transportation program funds for each fiscal year for border infrastructure projects.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2015
Small Business Jobs Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a qualified small employer a business-related tax credit for the cost of hiring up to 5 new employees who work for such employer, on average, at least 30 hours per week. The bill defines "qualified small employer" as an employer who: (1) has a place of business in a county with an annual unemployment rate that is at least 1% greater than the national rate for the preceding calendar year; and (2) did not employ fewer than 2, or more than 100, employees in the preceding calendar year. The bill allows an employer who is a tax-exempt organization to claim such credit. The credit is not available for wages paid after December 31, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2015
Community Financial Institution Exemption Act Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to exempt community financial institutions from all rules and regulations issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Defines a "community financial institution" as an insured depository institution or credit union with less than $10 billion in consolidated assets. Authorizes the Bureau to: (1) revoke such an exemption with respect to a specific rule or regulation issued or modified after enactment of this Act and with respect to a specific class of community financial institutions if the Bureau finds that such class of institutions has engaged in a pattern or practice of activities that have been detrimental to the interests of consumers and that are of a type that the specific rule or regulation is intended to address, and (2) modify a rule or regulation issued before enactment of this Act with respect to such institutions if the effect of such modification is to expand a current exemption or to reduce the costs and the regulatory burden associated with complying with such rule or regulation.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2015
Welcomes the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Committee's inscription of the San Antonio Missions to the World Heritage list, recognizes the San Antonio Missions as having universal historical and cultural significance, and congratulates the people of San Antonio for their years of hard work to make this designation a reality.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2015
Merchant Marine of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal to the U.S. Merchant Marine of World War II, in recognition of their dedicated and vital service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2015
Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2015 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: allow taxpayers who are liable for not more than $50,000 per year in excise taxes on distilled spirits, wine, or beer to file and pay such taxes quarterly without the requirement of posting a bond covering the operations and withdrawals of such distilled spirits, wines, or beer; allow such taxpayers who reasonably expect to have a tax liability of not more than $1,000 per year and who were liable for not more than $1,000 in taxes in the preceding calendar year to file and pay such taxes annually rather than quarterly; exclude the aging period from the production period for beer, wine, or distilled spirits for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period; reduce excise tax rates on beer, wine, and distilled spirits produced in the United States; permit the transfer of beer between bonded facilities without payment of tax; modify the definition of "hard cider" for excise tax purposes; and exempt home distillery establishments that produce distilled spirits solely for personal or family use from excise tax and bonding requirements. Directs the Department of the Treasury to amend applicable Treasury regulations with respect to the use of wholesome products suitable for human consumption in the production of fermented beverages. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to establish funding levels in FY2016-FY2021 for the enforcement and compliance activities of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2015
Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act or the FAST Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) expand access to certain stroke telehealth services to any originating site at which the eligible telehealth individual is located at the time the service is furnished, regardless of where the site is located; and (2) waive the facility fee for certain such originating sites.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2015
Remote Transactions Parity Act of 2015 This bill authorizes both member states under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement and states that have not adopted the Agreement (the multistate agreement for the administration and collection of sales and use taxes adopted on November 12, 2002) to require remote sellers (i.e., sellers who make remote sales in a state without a physical presence) to collect and remit sales and use taxes with respect to remote sales sourced to such states. States that have not adopted the Agreement must show that they have adopted and implemented minimum simplification requirements for the administration of sales and use taxes in order to collect such taxes. Such requirements include: (1) the designation of a single state entity responsible for all state and local sales and tax administration, return processing, and audits of remote sales; (2) a single audit of a remote seller for all taxing jurisdictions in the state; (3) direct contact with a certified software provider utilized by the remote seller in conducting an audit; (4) a single sales and use tax return for use by remote sellers that is filed with a single entity responsible for tax administration; (5) a uniform sales and use tax base; and (6) sourcing of all remote sales in compliance with criteria established by this Act. This bill expressly prohibits a state from requiring a remote seller to file sales and use tax returns any more frequently than is required for nonremote sellers. Additionally, remote sellers whose gross annual receipts are less than $5 million are exempt from audits unless there is a reasonable suspicion of intentional misrepresentation or fraud. For the first three years after the effective date of this Act, the requirement for remote sellers to collect and remit sales and use taxes is limited to remote sellers whose gross annual receipts exceed a certain level (i.e., $10 million in the first year, $5 million in the second year, and $1 million in the third year) and who utilize an electronic marketplace for making sales to the public. After the third year after the effective date of this Act, there is no exemption for remote sellers to collect and remit such taxes. The bill specifies limitations on the applicability of this Act, including by providing that nothing in this Act shall be construed as: (1) subjecting a remote seller to any type of tax other than sales and use taxes, or (2) enlarging or reducing the authority of a state to impose such taxes. The bill suspends the authority of a state to collect sales and use taxes in the first year after the effective date of this Act and between October 1 and December 31 of such first year. The bill also prohibits a state from exercising any authority under this Act unless it: (1) provides certification procedures for persons to be approved as certified software providers, (2) refrains from denying or revoking certification to a software provider without a reasonable basis, (3) has certified multiple national certified software providers and such certifications are in effect, and (4) provides compensation for certified software providers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2015
Recognizes the historical significance to the nation, and supports the continued celebration, of Juneteenth Independence Day. Recognizes that the celebration of the end of slavery is an important and enriching part of the history and heritage of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2015
Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 Directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the Filipino Veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. Requires that the medal, following its award, be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it will be available for research and for display at other appropriate locations associated with such veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2015
Recognizes the historical significance to the nation, and supports the continued celebration, of Juneteenth Independence Day. Declares the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) history should be regarded as a means for understanding the past and solving the challenges of the future, and (2) the celebration of the end of slavery is an important and enriching part of the history and heritage of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2015
Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the fight against breast cancer. The Treasury shall: select the design for the coins based upon the winning design from a juried, compensated design competition following certain specifications; and issue the coins only during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2018. All such coin sales must include the following surcharges: $35 per $5 gold coin, $10 per $1 dollar silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin. The Treasury shall pay received surcharges promptly to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation according to a specified distribution formula.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2015
Lawful Purpose and Self Defense Act Amends the federal criminal code to modify the definition of "armor piercing ammunition" for purposes of federal firearms provisions to: (1) include a projectile that is designed and intended by the manufacturer or importer for use in a handgun (currently, a projectile that may be used in a handgun); (2) repeal the exclusion of a projectile that the Attorney General finds is primarily intended for sporting purposes; and (3) exclude a projectile that is primarily intended by the manufacturer or importer to be used in a rifle or shotgun and a handgun projectile that is designed and intended by the manufacturer or importer to be used for hunting, recreational, or competitive shooting. Repeals a prohibition on assembling from imported parts a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun that is identical to one prohibited from importation as not being suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. Repeals the condition that in order for a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer to be permitted to ship to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty outside the United States or to clubs whose entire membership is composed of such members, and for such members or clubs to be permitted to receive, a firearm or ammunition intended for the lawful personal use of such members or club, the firearm or ammunition must be determined by the Attorney General to be generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes. Includes among the categories of firearms or ammunition that may be authorized for importation into the United States by the Attorney General, within 30 days after receiving an application therefor: (1) ammunition that is not armor piercing ammunition; (2) a firearm or ammunition that is being brought in for the use of a federal, state, or local government agency; and (3) a firearm or ammunition that is being imported for the purpose of exportation. Amends the National Firearms Act to modify the definition of "destructive device" to exclude: (1) a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Department of the Treasury finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for lawful (currently, sporting) purposes; and (2) an antique or a rifle which the owner intends to use for (currently, solely for) sporting purposes. Authorizes the temporary interstate transfer of a firearm for lawful (currently, sporting) purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2015
Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015 This bill creates the position of Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders to take over the responsibilities of the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Mental health programs are extended and training regarding mental health is expanded. SAMHSA must establish the National Mental Health Policy Laboratory and the Interagency Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the National Institute of Mental Health to translate evidence-based interventions and the best available science into systems of care. Certain mental health care professional volunteers are provided liability protection. Pediatric mental health subspecialists are eligible for National Health Service Corps programs. An underserved population of children or a site for training in child psychiatry can be designated as a health professional shortage area. The protected health information of an individual with a serious mental illness may be disclosed to a caregiver under certain conditions. This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to conditionally expand coverage of mental health services. Part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the SSAct is amended to require coverage of antidepressants and antipsychotics. If it will not increase Medicare spending, Medicare's 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services is eliminated. Health information technology activities and incentives are expanded to include certain mental health and substance abuse professionals and facilities. This bill restricts the lobbying and counseling activities of protection and advocacy systems for individuals with mental illness. These systems must focus on safeguarding the rights of individuals with mental illness to be free from abuse and neglect.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2015
The segment of Interstate Route 10 between milepost 535 and milepost 545 at Kendall County, Texas, shall now be the "PFC Milton A. Lee Medal of Honor Memorial Highway."
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2015
Excess Uranium Transparency and Accountability Act This bill amends the USEC Privatization Act governing uranium transfers and sales to require the Department of Energy (DOE) to issue, beginning January 1, 2017, and at least once every 10 years afterwards, a long-term excess uranium inventory management plan that details how all forms of excess DOE uranium inventories will be managed for a minimum period of 10 years. This management plan must outline DOE steps that will: (1) minimize the impact of DOE's transferring, selling, or otherwise providing uranium upon the domestic uranium mining, conversion, and enrichment industries; and (2) ensure that the federal government maximizes for itself the potential value of uranium. DOE may provide from its stockpile up to 2100 and up to 2700 metric tons of uranium in any form (currently, only natural and low-enriched uranium) for the periods calendar 2016-2023 and beginning January 1, 2024, respectively. Before making any determination that the sale of the material will not have an adverse material impact on the domestic uranium mining, conversion, or enrichment industry, DOE shall publish the proposed determination in the Federal Register pursuant to a rulemaking. Any market analysis prepared by or for DOE as part of the determination process shall be subject to a peer review process consistent with Office of Management and Budget guidelines. Beginning on January 1, 2021, the requirement for a DOE determination of no adverse material impact on the domestic uranium industry shall be waived for transferring, selling, or otherwise providing uranium if it has been identified in an updated long-term federal excess uranium inventory management plan.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2015
Hero Street USA Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins emblematic of Hero Street (in Silvis, Illinois) in the following amounts in commemoration of the semi-centennial of the naming of Hero Street: (1) 50,000 $5 gold coins, (2) 400,000 $1 silver coins, and (3) 750,000 half-dollar clad coins. Coins may be issued only between January 1 and December 31, 2018. There must be surcharges of: (1) $35 per coin for the $5 coin, (2) $10 per coin for the $1 coin, and (3) $5 per coin for the half-dollar coin, all to be paid to implement the Wounded Warrior Project. The Treasury must act to ensure that coin minting and issuance do not result in any net cost to the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2015
Global Anti-Poaching Act This bill addresses the illegal trade in endangered and threatened wildlife and their related parts and products. The Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other appropriate agencies are urged to: (1) support strengthening existing wildlife enforcement networks and establishing new networks in other appropriate regions, and (2) promote the professionalization of the wildlife law enforcement sector and professional ranger training in partner countries. The State Department: (1) must provide to Congress an annual list of each foreign country that is a major source, transit point, or consumer of wildlife trafficking products; and (2) may withhold certain assistance from countries that have failed to adhere to their obligations under international agreements relating to endangered or threatened species. The President may provide defense articles, services, and related training to security forces of African countries to counter wildlife trafficking and poaching. If a unit of a security force has been found to engage in wildlife trafficking or poaching, the President may not provide such assistance unless the President determines that the government of the country is taking steps to hold the security unit accountable and prevent trafficking and poaching. The bill amends the federal criminal code to make wildlife trafficking violations of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the African Elephant Conservation Act, and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994 predicate offenses for racketeering and money laundering prosecutions, if such violations involve more than $10,000. Fines and forfeitures from such violations must be transferred to the Multinational Species Conservation Fund and used for the benefit of the species impacted by the violation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2015
This bill amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to repeal country of origin labeling requirements for beef, pork, and chicken. Country of origin labeling requirements are administered by the Department of Agriculture and require a retailer to inform consumers of the country of origin of a covered commodity.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2015
Energy Supply and Distribution Act of 2015 This bill declares that the production and distribution of energy in the United States requires access to infrastructure and markets. The Department of Energy (DOE) must collaborate with federal agencies to improve the conceptual development of energy security, considering at a minimum: (1) development of flexible, transparent, and competitive energy markets, including natural gas and oil; and (2) diversification of energy fuels, sources, and routes, and the encouragement of indigenous sources of energy supply. DOE must also coordinate interagency: (1) data collection for energy distribution on shared energy infrastructure, and (2) training to evaluate and implement cross-border energy projects. It is the sense of Congress that growth in crude oil and dry natural gas production varies significantly across oil and natural gas supply regions, thereby: (1) forcing shifts in crude oil and natural gas flows between regions of the United States, and (2) requiring investment or realignment of midstream infrastructure including pipelines. The Energy Information Administration must collaborate with officials in Canada and Mexico to reconcile data on energy trade flows, extend energy mapping capabilities, and develop common energy data terminology. Congress declares that processed condensate is a petroleum product. The DOE Office of Fossil Energy Assessment may assess the suitability of condensate separately from crude oil for use in strategic reserves, while certain agencies within the Department of the Interior must assess condensate separately from crude oil. The bill authorizes: (1) the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to estimate condensate separately from crude oil as part of the resource assessments regarding domestic geological formations, (2) the Office of Natural Resources Revenue to collect condensate data separately from crude oil, and (3) the United States Geological Survey to include estimates of condensate separately from crude oil as part of the resource assessments regarding domestic geological formations. Domestic crude oil or condensate (except crude oil stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) may be exported without a federal license to countries not subject to U.S. sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Constitutional Amendment Declares that women shall have equal rights in the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction. Prohibits the United States or any state from denying or abridging equal rights under the law on account of sex.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2015
Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to open burn pits and other environmental exposures in Afghanistan or Iraq. The VA shall, in selecting the site, consider entities that: are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to such exposure; have a publication track record of post-deployment health exposures among veterans who served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; have collaborated with a geosciences department that has a medical geology division; have developed animal models and in vitro models of dust immunology and lung injury consistent with the injuries of members of the Armed Forces who served in support of such Operations; and have expertise in allergy and immunology, pulmonary diseases, and industrial and management engineering. The VA shall ensure that the center collaborates with the Department of Defense (DOD), institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities to: provide for dissemination within the VA of best practices for the treatment of such conditions and the training of health professionals; provide guidance for the VA and DOD health systems in determining the personnel required to provide quality health care for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with such conditions; establish, implement, and oversee a comprehensive program to train VA and DOD health professionals in the treatment of such conditions; facilitate advancements in the study of the short-term and long-term effects of such exposure; conduct basic science and translational research on such conditions for the purposes of understanding the etiology of such conditions and developing preventive interventions and new treatments; and provide medical treatment to all veterans identified as part of the burn pits registry established under the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012. The center shall have access to and make use of the data accumulated by such registry.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2015
Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act Directs the President to report annually to Congress regarding: (1) the number of fugitives and others residing in other countries for whom the United States is seeking extradition or rendition, together with a list of those countries; (2) U.S. diplomatic and other efforts to secure such fugitives' return; (3) the average length of time these cases have been outstanding; (4) the number of satisfactorily resolved cases; (5) factors that have been barriers to case resolution; and (6) information on the number of U.S. citizens whose extradition has been sought by other countries during the past five years, a list of those countries seeking extradition, and the outcomes of those requests.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2015
Space Leadership Preservation Act of 2015 Establishes a 10-year term of office for the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Establishes a NASA Board of Directors together with appointment criteria. Requires the President to appoint the Administrator from among a list of nominees provided by the Board, and a Deputy Administrator from among a separate list of Board nominees. Authorizes the Board to establish special commissions as it deems necessary. Requires the Board to provide: (1) NASA's proposed annual budget; (2) annual reports on spaceflight infrastructure, unique space capabilities, and the availability of qualified U.S. workers necessary to maintain such infrastructure and capabilities; (3) reports on specific policy matters; and (4) once every four years a review of current space programs and a vision for future space exploration. Authorizes NASA to enter into contracts for rocket propulsion systems and manned and unmanned space transportation vehicles and payloads.
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