United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020
Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act or the RISE Act This bill authorizes the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, the Interior, and Health and Human Services and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation, and Environmental Protection Agency to provide support for research regarding COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or research disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Support under this bill shall be provided through federal science agencies with at least $50 million in basic and applied research obligations in FY2020. Support may be used to provide supplemental funding to extend the duration of a grant to a research institution or national laboratory that was awarded prior to the enactment of this bill, or to expand the purposes of such a grant as specified; provide supplemental funding through existing competitively awarded cooperative agreements and contracts to cover the increased costs of construction of scientific facilities and equipment that have been delayed because of COVID-19; and award grants and cooperative agreements to institutions of higher education to conduct research on the behavioral, social, or economic effects of COVID-19 and the responses to the disease or on the effectiveness of such responses. Agencies must provide the support as rapidly as possible. Provided funds shall remain available for expenditure for up to two years.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
This resolution expresses that any jurisdiction that seeks to dismantle or reduce funding for a police force should review its local rules to ensure such rules do not place an undue burden on residents who seek to defend themselves, including through the legal purchase of a firearm and training services; such a review should be based on standards set forth by the Supreme Court that confirmed the Second Amendment to the Constitution to be an individual right and that no law can prohibit an individual from possessing and using a firearm in the home for self-defense; and any jurisdiction that seeks to dismantle or reduce funding for police agencies must remove rules that hinder individual gun ownership or access to firearms.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent Telehealth Options Act of 2020 or the KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the availability and effects of expanded telehealth services under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Among other information, HHS must detail its actions during the emergency to expand access to telehealth services and must analyze telehealth usage by certain demographic groups. The GAO must report on the efficiency and management of the telehealth expansion and related risks of fraudulent activity.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Just and Unifying Solutions To Invigorate Communities Everywhere Act of 2020 or the JUSTICE Act This bill addresses policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. The bill funds state and local grants, incentivizes state and local reporting on the use of certain policing practices, creates new federal offenses for certain misconduct, establishes a commission to study the conditions affecting Black men and boys, and establishes best practices and training requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2020
Paycheck Protection for Producers Act This bill modifies the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), by allowing certain farmers to calculate (or recalculate) their paycheck protection loan amount based on 2019 gross income. Under current law, such farmers must calculate their paycheck protection loan amount based on net income.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2020
Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act or the CHIPS for America Act This bill establishes investments and incentives to support U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and supply chain security. Specifically, the bill provides an income tax credit for semiconductor equipment or manufacturing facility investment through 2026. The bill also establishes a trust fund to be allocated upon reaching an agreement with foreign government partners to promote (1) consistency in policies related to microelectronics, (2) transparency in microelectronic supply chains, and (3) alignment in policies towards nonmarket economies. The Department of Commerce shall, through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), carry out a program of research and development investment to accelerate the design, development, and manufacturability of next generation microelectronics, including through the creation of a Manufacturing USA institute for semiconductor manufacturing. Commerce shall also establish a program to match state and local government incentives offered to private entities for the purposes of building fabrication facilities relating to semiconductor manufacturing. Further, Commerce shall assess the capabilities of the U.S. industrial base to support the national defense in light of the global nature of supply chains and interdependencies between the industrial bases of the U.S. and foreign countries with respect to the manufacture and design of semiconductors. The Department of Defense shall prioritize the use of specified available amounts for programs, projects, and activities in connection with semiconductor and related technologies. The President shall establish within NIST a subcommittee on matters relating to U.S. leadership in semiconductor technology and innovation, which shall develop a national strategy on semiconductor research.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2020
American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act of 2020 This bill addresses the availability, development, and production of domestic critical minerals, including by providing incentives to increase domestic production of critical minerals that are needed to ensure the economic and national security of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2020
Coronavirus Provider Protection Act This bill generally exempts health care professionals and related health care entities (e.g., hospitals and medical clinics) from liability for harm caused in the course of arranging or providing health care services during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2020
Safe and Secure Medicine Supply for Hardworking Americans Act of 2020 This bill bans in certain instances the importation of drugs and medical devices from a foreign manufacturing facility that has been subject to a recall, imposes additional duties on imported drugs, and contains other related provisions. The Food and Drug Administration shall ban drug or device imports from a foreign facility for a specified amount of time if a drug or device from that facility has been subject to a Class I or Class II recall. The bill imposes civil monetary fines for any individual or entity that violates such an import ban. The bill also imposes, on top of any other duties, a 25% duty on drugs imported from China, a 20% duty on drugs imported from India, and a 10% duty on drugs imported from any other country. The duties and fines established under this bill shall go into a fund for supporting and incentivizing new pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing in the United States. The bill also requires each drug sold to state on its label the country of origin of each active pharmaceutical ingredient.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
Assistance and Gratitude for Coronavirus Heroes in Agribusiness who are Invaluable to the Nation Act or the AG CHAIN Act This bill allows an exclusion from gross income, for income tax purposes, of wages and other income earned by certain qualified employees for the period between February 15, 2020, and June 15, 2020. The aggregate amount of such exclusion for any such employee may not exceed $25,000. A qualified employee is an essential food and agriculture employee who provides services at grocery stores, gasoline stations, restaurants, and other food service establishments that are located in a county that has at least one confirmed case of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The Department of the Treasury may extend the exclusion period for an additional three months if it determines that the COVID-19 emergency is likely to be ongoing. The bill also suspends the payment of payroll taxes for employee wages not exceeding $75,000 for the same period.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Protecting Life in Crisis Act This bill specifies that federal funds allocated for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) response efforts may not, in general, be used for abortions. Current law (specifically, language that has historically been included in certain appropriations bills, commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment) generally prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions. The bill also restricts the use of federal tax credits or other federal funding for health insurance coverage if the coverage includes abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2020
Bring Entrepreneurial Advancements To Consumers Here In North America Act This bill allows accelerated depreciation of nonresidential real property acquired to relocate facilities for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and medical devices or supplies in the United States. It also allows an exclusion from gross income of gain from the sale or exchange of relocation property that was used to manufacture medical products in a foreign country.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2020
Taxpayers and Savers Protection Act or the TSP Act This bill prohibits any sums in the Thrift Savings Fund from being invested in a security that is listed on an exchange in a jurisdiction in which the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (1) has never conducted the mandatory inspection or investigation of a registered public accounting firm, and (2) is prevented from conducting such inspection or investigation because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2020
This bill provides $50 billion in FY2020 supplemental appropriations for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support agricultural producers impacted by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. The supplemental appropriations are designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. USDA may not apply any payment limitations to payments made to producers using funding provided by this bill, except to ensure that the total payments made to producers do not exceed the total damages related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2020
Protecting Our Pharmaceutical Supply Chain from China Act of 2020 This bill requires the federal government to maintain a registry of certain foreign-sourced drugs, prohibits federal health care programs from purchasing drugs containing Chinese ingredients, requires drugs to be labeled for country of origin, and offers domestic manufacturing facility tax incentives.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2020
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should make no voluntary contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) until Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus resigns and an international commission is established to investigate the WHO's response to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2020
Strengthening America's Supply Chain and National Security Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take specified actions concerning the importation of pharmaceutical products from China and any other countries selected by DOD. DOD must submit to Congress a classified report that addresses, among other issues, the percentage of pharmaceutical products used by DOD that are made by such countries and recommendations related to the domestic manufacturing capacity and the resiliency of the supply chain for such products. An unclassified summary of this report must be published on a DOD website. A manufacturer of a pharmaceutical product that has received market approval must annually submit to HHS specified information about the product's active and inactive pharmaceutical ingredients, including the sources of such ingredients and the percentage of the aggregate amount of such ingredients from China and other countries selected by DOD. HHS shall provide such information to DOD. In addition, the bill revises certain statutory tests used to determine the country of origin of a pharmaceutical product. Specifically, a pharmaceutical product shall be deemed to have the same country of origin as the product's active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). (A recent court case held that a drug manufactured in the United States using an API from India is considered a U.S.-made product for procurement purposes.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2020
National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 This bill establishes the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative and sets forth related activities. The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) shall establish or designate the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office to carry out the responsibilities described in this bill with respect to the initiative. The National Science and Technology Council shall establish or designate an Interagency Committee to coordinate federal programs and activities in support of the initiative. The Department of Energy (DOE) shall establish the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee to advise the President and the Initiative Office on matters related to the initiative. DOE must also carry out an artificial intelligence research and development program to (1) advance artificial intelligence tools, systems, capabilities, and workforce needs; and (2) improve the reliability of artificial intelligence methods and solutions relevant to DOE's mission. The National Science Foundation (NSF) shall enter into a contract with the National Research Council of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study of the current and future impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce of the United States. The General Accountability Office shall conduct a study of artificial intelligence computer hardware and computing required in order to maintain U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence research and development. The NSF shall establish a program to award financial assistance to eligible entities or their consortia to establish and support Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes. The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall develop voluntary standards for artificial intelligence systems, among other things. The NSF shall fund research and education activities in artificial intelligence systems and related fields.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2020
Industries of the Future Act of 2020 This bill requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to report to Congress on research and development investments, infrastructure, and workforce development investments of the federal government that enable continued U.S. leadership in industries of the future. The President shall establish or designate an Industries of the Future Coordination Council. The council shall provide the OSTP with advice on ways in which the government can ensure that the United States continues to lead the world in developing emerging technologies that improve the quality of life of the people of the United States, increase U.S. economic competitiveness, and strengthen U.S. national security.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2020
Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to set aside certain funds through FY2025 to provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on the federal-aid highway system. DOT must use the funds it sets aside to provide competitive grants to states, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and certain public agencies for projects that provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on federal-aid highways or on a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility. The federal share for a project carried out in accordance with the bill must be 100%.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2020
Forgotten Vietnam Veterans Act This bill revises the definition of Vietnam era for purposes of the laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, the bill adjusts the start date of the era to November 1, 1955 (currently February 28, 1961), when relating to veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2020
Major Richard Star Act This bill provides that a combat-disabled uniformed services retiree with fewer than 20 years of creditable service may concurrently receive, without reduction veterans' disability compensation, and retired pay or combat-related special compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2020
This resolution supports the goals and ideals of Engineers Week to increase understanding of, and interest in, engineering and technology careers. The resolution recognizes that engineering education is a critical component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2020
Statement of Harm to the American Majority Act or the SHAM Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct an audit of the use of funds and loss of productivity relating to the impeachment and trial of President Donald Trump.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2020
Securing American Leadership in Science and Technology Act of 2020 This bill extends through FY2029 the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the Office of Science of the Department of Energy, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The bill sets forth programs, projects, and activities, including those regarding federal research security, the science and technical workforce, basic energy sciences research and upgrades to certain facilities, computational materials and chemistry science, advanced scientific computing, high energy physics, biological systems science and environmental science, fusion energy sciences research, nuclear physics, carbon utilization research infrastructure, enhanced geothermal energy, quantum information science and technology research, cybersecurity research, artificial intelligence and data science, engineering biology research, next generation digital radar, Antarctic nongovernmental activities and environmental liability requirements, and federal government inventions. The OSTP shall submit a comprehensive national science and technology strategy, and complete a review of U.S. science and technology enterprise. The Office of Science shall continue to leverage U.S. participation in the Large Hadron Collider, prioritize international partnerships and investments in the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, and prioritize international collaboration that would provide U.S. researchers access to the most advanced accelerator facilities in the world. The Government Accountability Office shall evaluate NIST's Center for Neutron Research. The NSF shall contract the National Academy of Public Administration to study the organizational and management structure of the NSF.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2020
This resolution recognizes the contributions of the Free File program and supports its continued success. The Free File program is a public-private partnership between tax preparation software companies and the Internal Revenue Service to offer free online tax preparation and e-filing services to low- and moderate-income taxpayers at no cost to the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 2020
This bill prohibits sharing U.S. intelligence with countries that permit within their national borders the use of Huawei fifth generation telecommunications technology. (Huawei is a Chinese telecommunications company with suspected ties to the Chinese government.)
United States · United States Congress · 23 December 2019
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2019 This bill indefinitely extends Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients for individuals who do not have other coverage. Under current law, Medicare coverage is limited to 36 months following a transplant.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2019
Research and Development Tax Credit Expansion Act of 2019 This bill modifies the refundable research tax credit for new and small businesses to (1) increase the limit on refundability to $500,000, with an adjustment for inflation; (2) allow refundable amounts to cover all payroll taxes paid by such businesses; and (3) extend eligibility for the credit to small businesses with less than $10 million in gross receipts (currently, less than $5 million). The bill also increases the rate of the alternative simplified tax credit for such businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2019
Stopping Illicit Trafficking Act of 2019 or the SIFT Act of 2019 This bill adds five fentanyl analogues and the entire category of fentanyl-related substances to schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. The bill also creates a process to remove from schedule I certain fentanyl-related substances that do not have a high potential for abuse.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2019
Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2019 This bill establishes and modifies several requirements to address prescription drug prices under Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs. The bill generally limits payment amounts for drugs and biologics under Medicare medical services, reduces cost-sharing under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, modifies certain authorities and requirements under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, revises provisions relating to regulatory approval and commercial availability of generics and biosimilars, and establishes several reporting requirements for drug manufacturers with respect to drug prices.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2019
Increasing Health Coverage through HRAs Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services rule dated June 20, 2019, which provides for the integration of health reimbursement arrangements and other account-based health plans with individual health insurance coverage or Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2019
This resolution expresses support for Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, supports efforts to increase awareness and education about stomach cancer, and recognizes the need for further research into early diagnosis, screening, and treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2019
Animal Disease Surveillance and Detection Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to establish an interagency task force to make recommendations regarding inspection requirements and detection protocols for preventing the transmission of animal diseases. The bill also requires the CPB to hire additional agriculture specialists, support staff, agriculture technicians, and canine teams for ports of entry.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2019
Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 This bill contains provisions related to alien farmworkers, including provisions establishing a certified agricultural worker (CAW) status and changing the H-2A temporary worker program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may grant CAW status to an applying alien who (1) performed at least 1,035 hours of agricultural labor during the two-year period prior to November 12, 2019, (2) was inadmissible or deportable on that date, and (3) has been continuously present in the United States from that date until receiving CAW status. The bill imposes additional crime-related inadmissibility grounds on CAW applicants and makes some other grounds inapplicable. CAW status shall be valid for 5.5 years and may be extended. DHS may grant dependent status to the spouse or children of a principal alien. An alien with a pending application may not be detained or removed by DHS and shall be authorized for employment until DHS makes a final decision on the application. A CAW alien (and dependents) may apply for lawful permanent resident status after meeting various requirements, including performing a certain amount of agricultural labor for a number of years. DHS shall create an electronic platform for (1) filing H-2A petitions, (2) facilitating the processing of H-2A cases, and (3) providing agencies a single tool for obtaining H-2A-related case information. The bill makes various changes to the H-2A program, such as (1) modifying the method for calculating and making adjustments to the H-2A worker minimum wage, (2) specifying how an employer may satisfy requirements that it attempted to recruit U.S. workers, (3) requiring H-2A employers to guarantee certain minimum work hours, and (4) making the program available for year-round agricultural work and reserving a visa allocation for the dairy industry. DHS shall establish a pilot program allowing certain H-2A workers to apply for portable status, which gives the worker 60 days after leaving a position to secure new employment with a registered H-2A employer. DHS shall establish an electronic system patterned on the E-Verify Program for employers to verify an individual's identity and employment authorization. Employers hiring individuals for agricultural employment must use the system. This bill permanently establishes the Housing Preservation and Revitalization Program, which provides financing assistance for rural rental housing and off-farm labor housing and rental assistance for qualified tenants of such housing. It also authorizes the Department of Agriculture to provide various assistance, including funding for insuring loans and grants for new farmworker housing.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2019
Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act This bill authorizes the establishment of a National Global War on Terrorism Memorial in the area of the National Mall.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2019
United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to arrange for the award of a single gold medal to the U.S. Army Ranger veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated wartime service. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2019
This resolution recognizes the contributions and sacrifices made by Sikhs of the United States and expresses respect for all Sikhs who practice their faith. The resolution also recognizes the historical, cultural, and religious significance of Guru Nanak's 550th birthday. Additionally, the resolution recognizes the discrimination Sikhs of the United States have faced.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2019
Rural STEM Education Act This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support research regarding STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science) education in rural schools. The NSF must award grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations for (1) research and development to advance innovative approaches to support and sustain high-quality STEM teaching in rural schools, (2) research and development of programming to identify the barriers rural students face in accessing high-quality STEM education, (3) development of innovative solutions to improve the participation and advancement of rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM studies, and (4) research on online STEM education courses for rural communities. The NSF may establish a pilot program of regional cohorts in rural areas to provide peer support, mentoring, and hands-on research experiences for rural STEM educators of students in grades Pre-K through 12 in order to build an ecosystem of cooperation among educators, researchers, academia, and local industry. The NSF shall enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy agrees to evaluate aspects of STEM education and workforce development in rural areas. The National Institute of Standards and Technology must award prizes to stimulate research and development of creative technologies in order to deploy affordable and reliable broadband connectivity to underserved rural communities. The Office of Science and Technology Policy must establish a broadband research and development working group to address national research challenges and opportunities for improving broadband access and adoption across the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2019
This resolution recognizes the value of military working dogs and specifically honors the military working dog assigned to the raid of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It also honors and celebrates the actions of the U.S. Special Operations Forces on October 26, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2019
Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 This bill contains provisions related to alien farmworkers, including provisions establishing a certified agricultural worker (CAW) status and changing the H-2A temporary worker program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may grant CAW status to an applying alien who (1) performed at least 1,035 hours of agricultural labor during the two-year period prior to October 30, 2019, (2) was inadmissible or deportable on that date, and (3) has been continuously present in the United States from that date until receiving CAW status. The bill imposes additional crime-related inadmissibility grounds on CAW applicants and makes some other grounds inapplicable. CAW status shall be valid for 5.5 years and may be extended. DHS may grant dependent status to the spouse or children of a principal alien. An alien with a pending application may not be detained or removed by DHS and shall be authorized for employment until DHS makes a final decision on the application. A CAW alien (and dependents) may apply for lawful permanent resident status after meeting various requirements, including performing a certain amount of agricultural labor for a number of years. DHS shall create an electronic platform for (1) filing H-2A petitions, (2) facilitating the processing of H-2A cases, and (3) providing agencies a single tool for obtaining H-2A-related case information. The bill makes various changes to the H-2A program, such as (1) modifying the method for calculating and making adjustments to the H-2A worker minimum wage, (2) specifying how an employer may satisfy requirements that it attempted to recruit U.S. workers, (3) requiring H-2A employers to guarantee certain minimum work hours, and (4) making the program available for year-round agricultural work and reserving a visa allocation for the dairy industry. DHS shall establish a pilot program allowing certain H-2A workers to apply for portable status, which gives the worker 60 days after leaving a position to secure new employment with a registered H-2A employer. DHS shall establish an electronic system patterned on the E-Verify Program for employers to verify an individual's identity and employment authorization. Employers hiring individuals for agricultural employment must use the system. This bill permanently establishes the Housing Preservation and Revitalization Program, which provides financing assistance for rural rental housing and off-farm labor housing and rental assistance for qualified tenants of such housing. It also authorizes the Department of Agriculture to provide various assistance, including funding for insuring loans and grants for new farmworker housing.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2019
Dignity for Aborted Children Act This bill requires abortion providers to offer patients specified options concerning the human fetal tissue from an abortion. Specifically, patients must be given an informed consent form specifying the options to (1) take possession of the tissue for transfer to an entity that provides interment or cremations services, or (2) in cases where the tissue is expelled on the provider’s premises, release the tissue to the provider. If the tissue is released to the abortion provider, the provider must ensure the tissue is interred or cremated within seven days of the procedure in a manner consistent with state law regarding the disposal of human remains. Abortion providers must report annually about the aggregate number of abortions performed and other specified information. The bill provides civil or criminal penalties for violations of disposal, informed consent, and reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2019
CFTC Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and generally revises provisions related to the CFTC. Among other things, the bill exempts certain companies from the mandatory swaps clearing requirements if they have less than $10 million in assets, provides for the regulation of digital commodities, exempts certain charitable organizations from commodity trading advisor and commodity pool operator registration requirements, provides that the CFTC's authority to enforce prohibitions regarding fraud and other disruptive trading practices applies to foreign activities, eliminates the double-sided confirmation requirement for swap data repositories, and expands whistleblower protections.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2019
General James N. Mattis Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to General James N. Mattis in recognition of his distinguished military career. Following the award, the medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for display as appropriate and made available for research. The U.S. Mint may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2019
VA Directly Returning Opioid Prescriptions Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that each VA medical center with an on-site pharmacy or a law enforcement officer has a physical location where patients may dispose of controlled substances medications.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2019
CFTC Advisory Committee Improvement Act This bill provides for the establishment of advisory committees at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on matters related to the derivatives markets and their regulation. The bill also provides for the continuation of existing advisory committees at the CFTC.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 171 South Maple Street in Dana, Indiana, as the "Ernest 'Ernie' T. Pyle Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2019
America Grows Act of 2019 This bill require certain adjustments to the discretionary spending limits for FY2020-FY2024 to accommodate increases in appropriations for agencies that conduct agricultural research. The bill requires adjustments for the following agencies within the Department of Agriculture: the Agricultural Research Service, the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The bill also requires annual appropriations for each of these agencies to be at least the amount appropriated for FY2019. The bill exempts appropriations provided pursuant to this bill from sequestration. Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.
![Official portrait of Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/6a3aa8877d3b72f27fb69f15_200.jpg)