United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 This bill declares the sense of Congress that it should consider a miscellaneous tariff bill. The U.S. International Trade Commission shall: conduct a process, meeting specified requirements, for the submission and consideration of petitions for duty suspensions and reductions; and report to Congress on the effects of duty suspensions and reductions enacted pursuant to this Act on producers, purchasers, and consumers in the United States. The bill prescribes requirements for publication by specified congressional committees of a list of limited tariff benefits contained in a miscellaneous tariff bill.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
Restoring Statutory Rights and Interests of the States Act of 2016 This bill amends the Federal Arbitration Act to invalidate arbitration agreements between parties in certain commercial contracts or transactions if they require arbitration of a claim for damages or injunctive relief brought by an individual or small business arising from the alleged violation of a federal or state statute, the U.S. Constitution, or a state constitution, unless the written agreement to arbitrate is entered into by both parties after the claim has arisen and pertains solely to an existing claim. The grounds upon which a contract with an arbitration agreement is revocable shall include federal or state statutes or court findings that prohibit an agreement to arbitrate if the agreement is unconscionable, invalid because there was no meeting of the minds, or otherwise unenforceable as a matter of contract law or public policy. A court, rather than an arbitrator, shall determine whether an arbitration agreement is enforceable.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Calls for recognition of: (1) national and community organizations and private sector supporters for their work in promoting awareness about sexual assault, providing information and treatment to survivors of sexual assault, and increasing the number of successful prosecutions of perpetrators of sexual assault; and (2) public safety, law enforcement, and health professionals for their hard work and innovative strategies to increase the percentage of sexual assault cases that result in the prosecution and incarceration of its perpetrators. Urges national and community-based organizations, private businesses, colleges and universities, and the media to promote, through such Month, awareness of sexual violence, resources for its survivors and their friends and family members, and strategies to decrease the incidence of sexual assault.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2016
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Senate should: (1) fulfill its constitutional obligation by observing regular order and holding hearings to consider the President's nomination of Judge Garland to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court; and (2) after giving its full and fair consideration, vote on such nomination.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2016
Transparent Environment in School Testing for Lead Act or the TEST for Lead Act This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to condition a state's receipt of funding from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund on the state establishing a program to test for lead in school drinking water. Program requirements include testing water from: (1) faucets used for food preparation, (2) sinks in bathrooms, and (3) drinking water coolers. Testing must be conducted at least biannually at schools built prior to 1996 and at least annually at schools built in 1996 or after. Additionally, local education agencies must notify parents, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the state in which they are located within 48 hours if a level of lead exceeds the EPA's lead action level.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2016
Coal Ash Landfill Safety Act This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review regulations related to the disposal of coal combustion residuals (coal ash) in municipal solid waste landfills to determine if such regulations provide public health and environmental protection that is at least equivalent to the protection provided by the coal combustion residuals rule for certain other landfills and surface impoundments. The review must be completed within six months. To the extent the EPA determines that the regulations fails to provide at least equivalent protection, it must revise the regulations to provide equivalent or greater protection.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Condemns the attacks against the residents of Camp Liberty/Hurriya in Iraq. Urges the government of Iraq to: (1) bring to justice those responsible for the attacks; and (2) ensure access to food, clean water, medical assistance, electricity and other necessary supplies and equipment. Calls on the United States to work with Iraq to: (1) bring Camp Liberty/Hurriya to the same level of protection as that of the Baghdad International Airport to ensure the security of the residents, and (2) facilitate the residents' ability to sell their property and assets in order to fund their costs of living and resettlement out of Iraq. Urges the United States to work with Iraq and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to ensure that Camp Liberty/Hurriya residents, without exception, are safely resettled outside of Iraq and Iran according to the terms of the December 2011 Memorandum of Understanding. Calls on the United States to work with Albania and UNHCR to provide suitable housing for the remaining Camp Liberty/Hurriya residents in Albania.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Reuniting Families Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to establish the fiscal year worldwide level of employment-based immigrants at 140,000 plus: (1) the previous year's unused visas, and (2) the number of unused visas from FY1992-FY2015. The bill establishes the fiscal year worldwide level of family-sponsored immigrants at 480,000 plus: (1) the previous year's unused visas, and (2) the number of unused visas from FY1992-FY2015. The bill redefines "immediate relative" to: mean a child, spouse, permanent partner, or parent of a U.S. citizen or the child or spouse of a lawful permanent resident, except that in the case of parents such citizens shall be at least 21 years old; permit a widow or widower of a U.S. citizen or resident to seek permanent resident status if married at least two years at the time of the citizen's or resident's death or, if married less than two years, by showing through a preponderance of the evidence that the marriage was entered into in good faith and not solely to obtain an immigration benefit; and include an alien who was the child or parent of a U.S. citizen or resident at the time of the citizen's or resident's death if the alien files a petition within two years after such date or prior to reaching 21 years old. The bill increases immigration visas for: (1) unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and (2) brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. The bill also: establishes an 80,640 visa allocation for the unmarried sons and daughters of permanent resident aliens, increases annual per country (10% of annual total) and dependent area (5% of annual total) limits for employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visas, and expands specified family-unity exceptions to unlawful presence-based inadmissibility. An alien shall be inadmissible for willful misrepresentation of citizenship. (Under current law inadmissibility is based on false representation of citizenship.) The bill specifies relief for orphans and spouses regarding: (1) petitions for immediate relative status, (2) parole eligibility, (3) permanent resident status adjustment, and (4) processing of immigrant visas. Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act Children of naturalized Filipino World War II veterans shall be exempt from worldwide or numerical immigrant limitations. The bill makes a minor child of an alien fiancee/fiance or of an alien spouse of a U.S. citizen eligible for derivative K-visa status, provided certain requirements are met. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice may adjust the status of a finacee/fiance or alien spouse and any minor children (K-visa) to conditional permanent resident status if the alien marries the petitioner within three months after U.S. admission. The definition of "child" for purposes of titles I and II of the Act shall include a stepchild under 21 years old. The INA is amended to include a "permanent partner" within its scope. The bill revises requirements regarding: (1) priority date retention; and (2) waiver eligibility for widows, widowers, and orphans. "Permanent partner" shall mean any individual 18 or older who is: in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual age 18 or older in which both individuals intend the commitment to be lifelong; financially interdependent with the other individual, unless DHS or the Department of State has determined, on a case-by-case basis, that this requirement is unreasonable; not married to, or in a permanent partnership with, anyone other than the individual; unable to contract with the other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act; and not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of the other individual. "Alien permanent partner" is defined as the individual in a permanent partnership who is being sponsored for a visa.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2016
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), through the Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, to carry out a five-year pilot program under which the VA shall provide service dogs and veterinary health insurance to certain veterans who: (1) served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001; and (2) were diagnosed with, and continue to suffer from, post-traumatic stress disorder. The provision of a service dog shall be done in addition to other types of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and shall not replace established treatment modalities.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2016
Emergency Financial Manager Reform Act of 2016 This bill requires a state with a state-appointed emergency financial manager to certify that the appointment: (1) does not have the purpose or effect of limiting the right to vote on account of race or color, and (2) followed a notice and comment period. If a state with a state-appointed emergency financial manager fails to submit such certification, then the Department of Justice may reduce by 5% that state's allocation of funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6691 Church Street in Riverdale, Georgia, as the "Major Gregory E. Barney Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2016
Supports the designation of a "Pi Day" and its celebration around the world. Recognizes the continuing importance of the math and science education programs of the National Science Foundation. Encourages schools and educators to observe the day with appropriate activities that teach students about Pi and engage them in the study of mathematics.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2016
Urges the United States to: (1) establish a national goal of 50% clean and carbon-free electricity by 2030, and (2) enact legislation to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2016
Condemns North Korea's nuclear tests, missile launches, and continued provocations. Reaffirms the importance of the United States-Republic of Korea-Japan trilateral relationship to counter North Korea's destabilizing activities and nuclear proliferation. Supports joint military exercises and other efforts to strengthen cooperation, improve defense capabilities, and oppose regional threats like North Korea. Encourages the deployment and coordination of regional advanced ballistic missile defense systems. Underscores the importance of the trilateral relationship in tracking North Korea human rights violations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2016
Affirms that it is in the U.S. national interest to become a formal signatory to the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea. Urges the Senate to give its advice and consent to the convention's ratification. Recommends the ratification remain a top Administration priority, having received bipartisan support from every President since 1994, and having most recently been underscored by the strategic challenges the United States faces in the Asia-Pacific region and more specifically in the South China Sea.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month. Recognizes and honors the women and organizations in the United States that have fought for and continue to promote the teaching of women's history.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2016
Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appoint or provide counsel at government expense to aliens in removal proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall provide an alien in removal proceedings with all relevant documents in its possession, unless the alien has knowingly waived the right to such documents. In the absence of a waiver a removal proceeding may not proceed until the alien has received, and had time to review, the documents. DOJ may appoint or provide counsel to aliens in any INA proceeding. DHS shall ensure that aliens have access to counsel inside all immigration detention and border facilities. DOJ shall appoint counsel, at government expense if necessary, for an unaccompanied alien child or a particularly vulnerable individual. If DOJ has consolidated any such alien's case with that of any other alien, and that other alien does not have counsel, then the appointed counsel shall be appointed to represent the other alien as well. DHS shall: (1) facilitate access to counsel for all aliens detained in facilities under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and (2) establish procedures to ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all detained aliens, including aliens held in CBP facilities. DOJ shall develop and administer a two-year pilot program at not fewer than two immigration courts to grant access to legal information to non-detained aliens with pending asylum claims. DHS shall establish a pilot program to increase the court appearance rates of unaccompanied alien children and particularly vulnerable individuals by contracting with nongovernmental, community-based organizations to provide such aliens with case management services. The pilot program shall not be used to monitor individuals designated as unaccompanied alien children under the Homeland Security Act. If DOJ fails to appoint counsel for an unaccompanied alien child or vulnerable person: (1) no limitation pertaining to the filing of any motion to reopen the removal proceeding shall apply, and (2) the filing of such a motion shall stay the removal of the alien.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2016
Hate Crimes Prevention Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit firearm sale or transfer to and receipt or possession by an individual who has: (1) been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or (2) received an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence. It defines "misdemeanor hate crime" as a misdemeanor offense that has, as an element, that the conduct was motivated by hate or bias because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person. An "enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence" is an enhanced sentence imposed for a misdemeanor that is based, in whole or in part, on conduct motivated by hate or bias because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: the trial and conviction of 50 African-American sailors for mutiny in connection with their service at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Concord, California, during World War II were wrongfully pursued because of racial prejudice; and Congress should publicly exonerate the 50 sailors to further aid in healing the racial divide that continues to exist in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2016 This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) to every state that expands Medicaid coverage for individuals who are newly eligible under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Under current law, the enhanced FMAP is equivalent to 100% in 2014 through 2016, 95% in 2017, 94% in 2018, 93% in 2019, and 90% thereafter. The bill retains this enhanced FMAP, but bases it on a term of years rather than on specific dates. The bill applies retroactively.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in recognition and celebration of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The coins shall be in the shape of a dome, and the design on the common reverse of the coins shall depict a basketball. Treasury shall hold a competition to determine the design of the common obverse of the coins, which shall be emblematic of the game of basketball. The bill requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by Treasury to the Hall to fund an endowment for its operations.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill increases the rates of basic pay for federal employees under the statutory pay systems (relating to the General Schedule, the U.S. Foreign Service, and the Veterans Health Administration) and for prevailing rate employees by 3.9% for FY2017. The percentage adjustment for locality-based comparability payments for calendar year 2017 shall be an increase of 1.4%.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2016
Return to Work Awareness Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Labor, acting through the Job Accommodation Network, to disseminate information and promote awareness among survivors of stroke and other debilitating health occurrences, such as traumatic brain injury and heart attack, and survivors' families, as well as among employers, government agencies, employee representatives, and service providers in order to: (1) assist survivors of stroke and such other debilitating health occurrences in returning to work, (2) improve a survivor's employability and demonstrate to employers ways to capitalize on the value and talent that survivors add to the workplace, and (3) enhance self-employment and entrepreneurship options for survivors.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
400 Years of African-American History Commission Act This bill establishes the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619. The commission must: plan programs to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had on the United States; encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, religious, and economic organizations to organize and participate in anniversary activities; assist states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration; and coordinate for the public scholarly research on the arrival of Africans in the United States and their contributions to this country. The commission may provide grants to: (1) communities and nonprofit organizations for the development of programs; and (2) research and scholarly organizations to research, publish, or distribute information relating to the arrival of Africans in the United States. The commission shall terminate on July 1, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Protecting Our Security Through Utilizing Right-Sized End-Strength Act of 2016 or the POSTURE Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that given the uncertain world and the need for trained and ready U.S. land force, the planned drawdown of land forces should be stopped. The bill sets forth: FY2016 Army, Marine Corps, and Selected Reserve strength levels; and Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force permanent active duty end strength minimum levels. Any proposal to lower the end strength levels established by this Act must first be approved by Congress through enactment of a law to that effect.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Keep It in the Ground Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from issuing, renewing, reinstating, or extending any nonproducing lease, or issuing any authorization for the exploration or production of oil, natural gas, or any other fossil fuel in the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or any other area of the Outer Continental Shelf. BOEM shall also cancel within 60 days any lease issued in the Beaufort Sea, Cook Inlet, or Chukchi Sea (three of the five bodies of water that encompass the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must not issue, renew, reinstate, or extend any nonproducing lease for the exploration or production of any onshore fossil fuels, including coal, oil, tar sands, oil shale, and gas, on land subject to the Mineral Leasing Act. The bill provides for exceptions if there is an imminent national security threat that would be significantly reduced by granting an exception. In addition, BOEM and the BLM may allow a nonproducing lease to be renewed or extended if the lease contract was signed before this bill, and giving effect to any provision of this bill is likely to lead to a material breach of contract.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Low Income Sewer and Water Assistance Program Act of 2016 This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a pilot program that awards grants to at least 10 eligible entities for assisting low-income households maintain access to sanitation (water and sewer) services. In order to be eligible for grants, entities must be municipalities, or public entities that own or operate public water systems, that are affected by consent decrees related to compliance with standards under that Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Lake Berryessa Recreation Enhancement Act of 2016 This bill establishes as the Lake Berryessa Recreation Area specified land administered by the Bureau of Reclamation that is underlying or adjacent to Lake Berryessa in California, including any improvements. The bill transfers the administrative jurisdiction over the area from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior. Interior shall develop a management plan for the area and may establish guidelines and restrictions on recreational uses to ensure the safety and security of recreational users. Interior may also issue recreation concession permits, including at the area, to allow a third party to provide facilities and services to visitors on lands and waters managed by the BLM in support of outdoor recreational opportunities. Reclamation shall continue to administer and operate the Monticello Dam and any related facility, including any power facility.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016 This bill amends the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) to prohibit a third party online hotel reservation seller (an online seller that is not affiliated with the person who owns the hotel or provides the hotel services or accommodations) from charging a consumer's credit card, debit card, bank account, or other financial account for any good or service sold in an Internet transaction, unless the seller discloses all material terms of the transaction. Before the conclusion of the transaction, the seller must describe, and disclose the cost of, the offered good or service. The seller must also disclose, in a manner that is continuously visible to the consumer throughout the transaction process, the fact that it is not affiliated with the person who: (1) owns the hotel, or (2) provides the hotel services or accommodations. States may bring actions in federal courts to obtain damages, restitution, compensation, or other relief for ROSCA violations. (Currently, states may bring such actions for only injunctive relief.) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) must publish on its website an assessment of: (1) consumers' capacity to understand which company they are transacting with during online hotel reservation shopping, (2) consumer harm from such uncertainty, and (3) whether any practice by a third party online hotel reservation seller violates ROSCA. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that the FTC should revise its website to make it easier for consumers and businesses to report complaints of deceptive practices with online booking of hotel reservations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Application Privacy, Protection, and Security Act of 2016 or the APPS Act of 2016 This bill directs mobile device application developers, before the application collects personal data about the user, to notify the user and obtain the user's consent regarding the terms and conditions governing the collection, use, storage, and sharing of such personal data. Excluded from such notice and consent requirements is any "de-identified data" that cannot reasonably be used to identify or infer information about, or otherwise be linked to, a particular individual or mobile device, as determined with a reasonable level of justified confidence based on the available methods and technologies, the nature of the data at issue, and the purposes for which the data will be used. Developers must: (1) provide users with a method to withdraw such consent and to request that the developer delete personal data or refrain from further data collection or sharing, and (2) take measures to prevent unauthorized access to personal and de-identified data. Violations are to be treated as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) must promulgate regulations to implement and enforce this Act. States may bring civil actions in federal court on behalf of affected state residents. Nothing in this Act prohibits a developer from disclosing or preserving personal data or de-identified data as required by other federal laws or, except when superceded by this Act, the laws of a state or political subdivision, including court orders. A developer may satisfy the requirements of this Act by adopting and following a code of conduct for consumer data privacy that is approved pursuant to FTC regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Data Broker Accountability and Transparency Act of 2016 This bill prohibits data brokers from obtaining or causing to be disclosed personal information or any other information relating to any person by making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, including by providing any document that the broker knows or should know to: (1) be forged, counterfeit, lost, stolen, or fraudulently obtained; or (2) contain a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation. "Data broker" is defined as a commercial entity that collects, assembles, or maintains personal information concerning an individual who is not a customer or an employee of that entity in order to sell or provide third party access to the information. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may exempt certain data brokers from this Act. Data brokers must establish procedures to ensure the accuracy of: (1) the personal information they collect, assemble, or maintain; and (2) any other information that specifically identifies an individual, unless the information only identifies an individual's name or address. Data brokers must also provide individuals a cost-free means to review their personal or identifying information. Individuals may dispute the accuracy of their personal information with a written request that the data broker make a correction. With regard to disputed public record information that is available for public inspection from federal, state, or local governments, a data broker must: (1) inform the individual of the source of the information and, if reasonably available, where to direct the individual's request for correction; or (2) correct the inaccuracy in the broker's records if the individual provides proof that the public record has been corrected or that the broker was reporting the information incorrectly. With regard to disputed non-public information of a private nature, a data broker must: (1) note the information that is disputed, (2) independently verify the information, and (3) correct the inaccuracy if the broker was reporting the information incorrectly. Data brokers must provide individuals with a reasonable means of expressing a preference to exclude their information from being used, shared, or sold for marketing purposes. The bill sets forth authority for the FTC and states to enforce this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2016
Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act of 2016 This bill repeals: (1) provisions authorizing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a human resources management system for some or all of its organizational units, and (2) the authority granted to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish or modify a personnel management system for TSA employees engaged in airport security screening. Within 60 days after the enactment date of this bill: (1) any such human resources management system and all TSA personnel management policies, directives, letters, and guidelines shall cease to be effective, and (2) all TSA positions and DHS positions that provide transportation security in furtherance of the purposes of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act shall become subject to general civil service provisions. This bill sets forth transition rules that protect the pay rates and other rights of such employees. DHS shall consult with the labor organization certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority to carry out the conversion of such positions. The provisions of this bill do not affect the prohibitions against disloyalty and asserting the right to strike against the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Families of Flint Act This bill provides support for Flint, Michigan in addressing lead in the city's drinking water and related issues. The bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by establishing a 10-year grant program to ensure that Flint's drinking water does not contain: (1) lead levels that threaten public health or the environment, or (2) other drinking water contaminants and pathogens that threaten public health. The bill also establishes specified grant programs for assisting Flint that are established within the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bill amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, by allowing states to use more than 20% of funds from Drinking Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants for addressing a threat to public health from heightened exposure to lead in a municipal drinking water supply if a federal or state emergency declaration has been issued for that threat. HHS must establish in Flint a Center of Excellence on Lead Exposure. The bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase the allowable participation period in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children for children residing in areas that are in a state of emergency. A state may elect to allow those children to participate in the program for a period that ends on the earlier of: (1) the child's tenth birthday (currently fifth), or (2) five years after the emergency (currently children may participate for a one-year period).
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Commemorates Representatives Sam Johnson and John Lewis for their patriotic service and sacrifice to the country they love and for becoming the first ever recipients of the Congressional Patriot Award.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
Recognizes the 146th anniversary of the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibits the government from denying a citizen the right to vote on the basis of race. Acknowledges the significance of the Fifteenth Amendment and continues to support its goals and ideals.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2016
Fresh Start Act of 2016 This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow an individual convicted of a nonviolent criminal offense to file a petition for expungement of the record of such conviction. It allows expungement if such individual: (1) has never been convicted of any criminal offense other than the nonviolent offenses committed in a single criminal episode that includes the offense for which expungement is sought; (2) has fulfilled all requirements of the sentence of the court, including payment of all fines, restitution, or assessments and completion of terms of imprisonment and probation; and (3) has remained free (if required by the court's sentence) from dependency on or abuse of alcohol or a controlled substance for at least one year. The Department of Justice must maintain an unaltered nonpublic copy of expunged criminal records, to be disclosed for limited purposes to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies. The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to increase by 5% grant funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to states that implement expungement procedures substantially similar to the procedures enacted by this Act. It decreases such grant funding by 5% for states that fail to adopt expungement procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2016
End of Debtor's Prison Act of 2016 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to prohibit the Department of Justice from allocating Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program funding to a state or local government that has a contract with a person (e.g., a private probation company) who: (1) collects unpaid debt (i.e., state- or court-imposed fines or fees) from an individual placed on probation for failing to pay such debt; and (2) charges separate fees (e.g., monthly fees) to the probationer with respect to the collection.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2016
Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act of 2016 This bill prohibits any person acting under the authority of the United States from monitoring any electronic communication by a prisoner in a Bureau of Prisons correctional facility if such communication is subject to attorney-client privilege. This does not apply to any communications the Department of Justice has reason to believe pose a threat to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Vietnam Helicopter Crew Memorial Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to place in Arlington National Cemetery a memorial honoring helicopter pilots and crew members who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam era.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Expresses condolences for the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes. Declares that the House of Representatives: confirms its dedication to the rights and dignity of all citizens; denounces the increase of hate speech and hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim; and recognizes the positive contributions made by the U.S. Muslim community to U.S. society. Declares that the civil rights and liberties of all U.S. citizens, including Muslims in the United States, should be protected. Urges law enforcement authorities to work to prevent hate crimes and to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes. Reaffirms the inalienable rights of every citizen to live without fear and intimidation and to practice freedom of faith.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Assault Weapons Ban of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is: (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; or (4) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. Additionally, the bill does not prohibit, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The legislation amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to require law enforcement agencies to be notified when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a grandfathered SAW. It also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Recognizes the importance of the negotiations between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Commends Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who has demonstrated vision and leadership in seeking a negotiated settlement to end the conflict and lay the foundations for a sustainable peace. Calls on the negotiating parties to address the demands of victims of violence for truth, justice, meaningful reparations, and guarantees that the past violence will not be repeated. Urges President Barack Obama and his Administration to support these negotiations and to develop plans to support the Colombian people in building a just and lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Avonte's Law Act of 2015 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants to law enforcement agencies to: (1) reduce the risk of injury and death relating to the wandering characteristics of some individuals with autism and other disabilities, and (2) safeguard the well-being of individuals with disabilities during interactions with law enforcement. It requires grant awards to be used to: (1) provide education and resources to law enforcement agencies, first responders, schools, clinicians, and the public in order to reduce the risk of wandering by such individuals, help to identify signs of abuse in such individuals, increase their personal safety and survival skills, and facilitate effective communication with individuals who have communication-related disabilities; (2) provide training and emergency protocols for school administrators, staff, and families; (3) provide response tools and training for law enforcement and search-and-rescue agencies, including tracking technology; or (4) provide response tools and training to law enforcement agencies in order to recognize and respond to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. DOJ must establish standards and best practices relating to the use of tracking technology to monitor children with autism and other disabilities. It requires each law enforcement agency that receives a grant to comply with any such standards and best practices.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Police Agency Investigation Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to create within the Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Civil Rights Division an Office of Police Agency Investigations to investigate alleged patterns or practices of police conduct that violate constitutional rights. Additionally, it amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to include complying with a judgment or consent decree pursuant to a pattern-or-practice investigation. DOJ may award additional grants to COPS grant recipients to comply with such judgments or consent decrees.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2015
No Fly for Foreign Fighters Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report to Congress within 18 months on: (1) whether past weaknesses in the operation and administration of the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) and its subsets (e.g., the No Fly list) have been addressed, and (2) the extent to which additional changes may address or mitigate existing vulnerabilities. The study and report must include, with respect to the TSDB, information on: (1) timely integration of information, (2) increased demands for information, (3) accessibility to relevant agencies, and (4) identification of known or suspected terrorists by users.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Recognizes the 67th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the celebration of Human Rights Day. Supports the ideals of human rights and reaffirms the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Encourages all nations to continue working towards freedom, peace, and security which can be achieved only through democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal judicial code to: convert certain temporary bankruptcy judges to permanent bankruptcy judges and authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges in Delaware and Michigan; convert temporary bankruptcy judges to permanent bankruptcy judges in specified judicial districts in Florida, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, and Virginia; and authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges in the middle district of Florida.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
CLEANER Act of 2015 or the Closing Loopholes and Ending Arbitrary and Needless Evasion of Regulations Act of 2015 This bill amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to eliminate the exemption for waste derived from the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy from regulations governing the disposal of hazardous waste. Within a year of this bill's enactment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must: determine whether waste associated with oil, gas, or geothermal energy activities meet the criteria promulgated for the identification or listing of hazardous waste; identify or list as hazardous waste any of those wastes if they meet the identification or listing criteria; and promulgate regulations regarding standards applicable to generators, transporters, and owners and operators of facilities for the treatment, storage, or disposal of those wastes. The EPA may modify the regulation of those standards to consider the special characteristics of those wastes so long as the modified regulations protect human health and the environment. Within a year of this bill's enactment, the EPA must promulgate revisions of certain criteria concerning landfills and waste management practices of open dumping for facilities that may receive wastes that are: (1) associated with those activities, and (2) not identified or listed as hazardous waste. Those revisions must: protect human health and the environment, while allowing consideration of the practicable capability of such facilities; and require groundwater monitoring as necessary to detect contamination; establish criteria for the acceptable location of new or existing facilities; and provide for corrective action and financial assurance as appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Minority Diabetes Initiative Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to provide treatment for diabetes in minority communities. HHS must ensure that these grants cover a variety of diabetes-related health care services, including routine care for diabetic patients, public education on diabetes prevention and control, eye care, foot care, and treatment for kidney disease and other complications of diabetes.
![Official portrait of Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/j000288_200.jpg)