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![Official portrait of Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/69d7f5b07304cef7a0c977b1_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
1,878 records where Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover certain lymphedema compression treatment items as durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Pet and Women Safety Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to broaden the definition of stalking to include conduct that causes a person to experience a reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury to his or her pet. Additionally, an interstate violation of a protection order includes interstate travel with the intent to violate a protection order against a pet that is included within the scope of the protection order. The bill specifies the applicable criminal penalty—a prison term of up to five years, a fine, or both—for a person who commits an interstate violation of a protection order against a pet. With respect to a defendant who commits a domestic violence offense or an interstate violation of a protection order, mandatory restitution in the "full amount of victim's losses" includes costs incurred for veterinary services related to the pet. The bill directs the Department of Agriculture to award grants for shelter and housing assistance and support services for domestic violence victims with pets. Finally, it expresses the sense of Congress that states should include, in domestic violence protection orders, protections against violence or threats against a person's pet.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Reaffirms the strong commitment of the House of Representatives to the U.S.-Mexico partnership. Encourages the President to prioritize a U.S.-Mexico relationship based on mutual respect.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of Justice should appoint an independent counsel to investigate whether the President or his staff directed, or knew about and failed to prevent, U.S. Customs and Border Protection activities that violated, or consciously circumvented and nullified the efficacy of, judicial orders designed to stay Executive Order 13769. Among the order's major provisions are restrictions on the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants from seven countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) and additional limitations on refugee admissions to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2017
Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act This bill allows the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation to establish the National Global War on Terrorism Memorial as a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia to commemorate and honor the members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2017
Condemns North Korea's development of multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles. Urges the prompt deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in South Korea to counter North Korea's nuclear missile threat. Reaffirms: (1) U.S. support of a layered, interoperable, multi-tier missile defense system to protect Americans and allies on the Korean Peninsula; and (2) the U.S. commitment to its alliances and trilateral missile defense cooperation agreements with South Korea and Japan. Expresses support for: (1) continued U.S.-South Korea bilateral security cooperation and the consideration of additional measures to strengthen the alliance, including expanded foreign military sales, technology development, and joint exercises; and (2) the intelligence sharing agreement between Japan and South Korea signed on November 23, 2016, concerning the direct exchange of intelligence on North Korea threats. Calls upon: (1) China to pressure North Korean leaders to cease their provocative behavior, abandon and dismantle their nuclear and missile programs through the curtailing of vital economic support and trade that support the North Korean government, and comply with all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions; and (2) the United States to apply all available economic sanctions, and cooperate with allies and other countries to impose additional sanctions, on North Korea.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2017
Reaffirms: (1) the strong alliance between Australia and the United States, and (2) the importance of a U.S.-Australia relationship based on mutual respect and befitting a close and longstanding alliance partner crucial to the preservation of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Asia Pacific region and around the world. Expresses support for continued diplomatic, military, and economic cooperation with Australia.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2017
Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act This bill: (1) repeals certain provisions that require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military retired pay or who would be entitled to retired pay except for being under 60 years of age, (2) prohibits requiring repayment of certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund, and (3) requires (current law authorizes) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. The Secretary concerned shall restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to the surviving child or children of a member.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2017
Build Bridges Not Walls Act This bill provides that the executive order titled "Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements" signed by the President on January 25, 2017, or any other substantially similar action by the President to use taxpayer dollars or fees to construct a continuous wall or fence between the United States and Mexico shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2017
Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research Act of 2017 or the Childhood Cancer STAR Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide support to collect the medical specimens and information of children, adolescents, and young adults with selected cancers that have the least effective treatments in order to achieve a better understanding of these cancers and the effects of treatment. The national childhood cancer registry is reauthorized through FY2022 and revised to authorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to state cancer registries to improve tracking of childhood cancers. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may: (1) support pilot programs to develop or study models for monitoring and caring for childhood cancer survivors throughout their lives, (2) establish a task force to develop and test standards for high-quality childhood cancer survivorship care, and (3) carry out a demonstration project to improve care coordination as childhood cancer survivors transition to adult care. HHS must convene a Workforce Development Collaborative on Medical and Psychosocial Care for Pediatric Cancer Survivors. The NIH may 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 · 2 February 2017
Expand American Educational Opportunity Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to replace the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits with a modified American Opportunity Tax Credit that: (1) allows an income tax credit of up to $2,500 of the qualified tuition and related expenses of a student who is carrying at least one half of a normal course load, (2) allows a lifetime dollar limitation for the credit of $15,000 for all taxable years, and (3) increases the refundable portion of the credit to a maximum of $1,500. The bill allows an exclusion from gross income of any amount received as a Federal Pell Grant.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
Affordability for Constant and Continual Education to Enhance Student Success Act or the All-Year ACCESS Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase from one to two the number of Pell Grants an eligible student may receive in a single award year (i.e., it restores year-round Pell Grants). A student's total amount of Pell Grants must not exceed 150% of the maximum Pell Grant for that award year. Also, any period during which a student receives an additional Pell Grant counts toward that student's lifetime Pell Grant eligibility period.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) it is an indisputable fact that the Nazi regime targeted the Jewish people in its perpetration of the Holocaust, and (2) to deny or minimize that the Holocaust was an effort to eliminate the Jewish people is shameful. Calls on all executive branch entities, including the White House, to affirm that the Nazi regime targeted the Jewish people in the Holocaust.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
Protect the National Security Council From Political Interference Act of 2017 This bill amends the National Security Act of 1947 to prohibit the President from designating any individual whose primary or predominant responsibility is political in nature to serve as a member of the National Security Council (NSC) or to regularly attend or participate in NSC meetings or meetings convened under the auspices of the NSC, including Principals Committee meetings. Organized under presidential memorandum, the Principals Committee is a cabinet-level senior interagency forum chaired by the National Security Advisor or the Homeland Security Advisor to consider policies that affect U.S. national security interests. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that no limitations should be imposed on the ability of the Director of National Intelligence or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or their designees, to attend any Principals Committee meeting convened under the auspices of the NSC or any other senior interagency meeting convened to consider policy issues that affect U.S. national security interests.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
Employer Participation in Student Loan Assistance Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to include payments of qualified education loans by an employer to either an employee or a lender.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2017
Anwar Sadat Centennial Celebration Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Anwar Sadat in recognition of his achievements and heroic actions to attain comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2017
This joint resolution eliminates the time limit for ratification of the equal rights amendment (prohibits discrimination on account of sex) proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2017
Statue of Liberty Values Act of 2017 or the SOLVE Act of 2017 This bill states that: (1) beginning on January 27, 2017, Executive Order 13769, entitled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States," is null and void, shall have no force and effect, and may not be implemented or enforced; and (2) no federal funds may be used to implement or enforce any of the policy changes set forth in such order. Among the order's major provisions are restrictions on the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants from seven countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) and additional limitations on refugee admissions to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
This bill declares that the memorandum titled "Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze" published on January 23, 2017, or any other substantially similar memorandum, executive order, or other action by the President to prevent a department or agent of the federal government from filing vacant federal civilian employee positions or creating new such positions, shall have no force or effect with respect to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment declaring that women shall have equal rights in the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction. The amendment 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 · 24 January 2017
Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Government By the People Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to establish a program for small individual donations to campaigns for public office and make other changes to campaign finance law. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) individual taxpayers a refundable tax credit of 50% of qualified congressional House campaign contributions (i.e., cash contributions by an individual to a candidate for the House of Representatives or a political committee established and maintained by a national political party, to be known as "My Voice Federal" contributions); and (2) individual taxpayers to designate a portion of any overpayment of tax as a contribution to the Freedom From Influence Fund. The Government by the People Oversight Commission, established by this bill, shall establish a voucher pilot program to provide voters with a $50 "My Voice Voucher" for making campaign contributions. The bill amends the FECA to establish a 6-1 matching program for small dollar contributions (up to $150) to a candidate for public office and sets forth eligibility, certification, and expenditure requirements for candidates. The bill permits unlimited coordinated party expenditures from small donor sources on behalf of publicly financed House candidates. The bill requires disclosure by all bundlers of bundled contributions (i.e., the practice of combining several small campaign contributions into one large contribution to avoid exceeding the limit on contributions), not just registered lobbyists. The bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to expand the access of candidates for public office to broadcasting.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2017
Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act This bill provides that regulations restricting the purchase, production, sale, or exchange of military medals or decorations may not authorize the sale of a Purple Heart awarded to a member of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2017
Safeguard our Elections and Combat Unlawful Interference in Our Democracy Act or the SECURE Our Democracy Act This bill directs the Department of State to submit within 120 days a list of each foreign person that: (1) was at any time since January 1, 2015, involved in actions to unlawfully access, disrupt, misappropriate, influence, or alter information related to U.S. political parties, federal election candidates, or the administration of federal elections; or (2) worked or acted as an agent or instrumentality of, or on behalf of, or that was otherwise associated with, such foreign person. The unclassified portion of such list shall be made available to the public and published in the Federal Register. A listed alien shall be ineligible to receive a U.S. entry visa, and any current visa shall be revoked. Such prohibitions shall also apply to an alien who is an official of, an agent or instrumentality of, or working or acting on behalf of, a listed foreign entity or government if such alien knowingly authorized, conspired to commit, was responsible for, engaged in, or otherwise assisted or facilitated such prohibited actions. The President, through the Department of the Treasury, shall: (1) freeze and prohibit a listed foreign person's transactions in property and property interests that are in the United States or controlled a U.S. person, and (2) require each financial institution that is a U.S. person and has within its possession or control such property or property interests to certify that it has frozen all such assets.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
This bill amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. No less than 1.5% of the annual authorized funding amount or $10 million, whichever is greater, shall be used for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
No Religious Registry Act of 2017 This bill prohibits U.S. government officers or employees from collecting information or utilizing a registry or database to classify or surveil on the basis of religious affiliation: (1) U.S. nationals, (2) aliens lawfully present in the United States, or (3) aliens who apply for a visa or seek admission to the United States or on whose behalf a petition under the immigration laws is submitted. The bill also prohibits studies related to the collection of such information or the establishment or utilization of such a registry or database. Nothing in such prohibition may be construed to prohibit the collection of information that is provided voluntarily, and from which personally identifiable information is removed, to be used strictly for statistical purposes that do not violate this bill. Federal entities are prohibited from: (1) awarding a contract to an entity to collect information or establish a registry that would violate this bill, or (2) purchasing information on religious affiliation from a nonfederal entity for such purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. The Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 is amended to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. The bill establishes a transition period during which a percentage of employment-based second and third preference (EB-2 and EB-3) immigrant visas are reserved as follows: for FY2017, 15% of such visas are allotted to natives of countries other than the two countries with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2011; for FY2018, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2012; and for FY2019, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2015. During the transition period, not more than 25% of the total number of the reserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. For FY2015-FY2017, not more than 85% of the unreserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. Amendments made by this bill shall apply beginning in FY2017.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Protecting Our Democracy Act This bill establishes in the legislative branch the National Commission on Foreign Interference in the 2016 Election to examine any attempts or activities by the Russian government or other governments, persons or entities associated with such governments, or persons or entities within Russia to use electronic means to influence, interfere with, or sow distrust in elections for public office held in the United States in 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to restore mail delivery service standards in effect as of July 1, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017 This bill includes as part of the Republic of Vietnam its territorial seas for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2700 Cullen Boulevard in Pearland, Texas, as the "Endy Nddiobong Ekpanya Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all businesses and residential customers.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Declares that a viable and sustainable two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Calls for the United States to continue to: support a durable and sustainable two-state solution; oppose, and if necessary, veto future United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel; and work with Israelis and Palestinians to create the conditions for successful final-status peace negotiations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Safeguard American Food Exports Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem equine (horses and other members of the equidae family) parts to be an unsafe food additive or animal drug. The bill prohibits the knowing sale or transport of equines or equine parts for human consumption.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Encourage New Legalized Immigrants to Start Training Act or the ENLIST Act This bill authorizes the enlistment in the Armed Forces of aliens unlawfully present in the United States on December 31, 2012, who: (1) have been continuously present in the United States since such date; (2) were younger than 15 years of age when they initially entered the United States; and (3) are otherwise eligible for original enlistment in a regular component of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. The Department of Homeland Security shall adjust the status of an alien enlisted under such authority to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act applicable to aliens who entered the United States prior to January 1, 1972. The bill rescinds such lawful permanent resident status if the alien is separated from the Armed Forces under other than honorable conditions before serving the term of enlistment.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Urges the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its six-day mail delivery service.
United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2016
Protect American Democracy Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of State to submit within 120 days a list of each foreign person that: (1) was at any time since January 1, 2015, involved in actions to unlawfully access, disrupt, influence, or alter information related to U.S. political parties, federal election candidates, or the administration of federal elections; or (2) acted as an agent of, or on behalf of, such foreign person. The unclassified portion of such list shall be made available to the public and published in the Federal Register. A listed alien shall be ineligible to receive a U.S. entry visa, and any current visa shall be revoked. Such prohibitions shall also apply to an alien who is an official of, or acting on behalf of, a listed foreign entity or government if such alien knowingly furthered such prohibited actions. The President, through the Department of the Treasury, shall: (1) freeze and prohibit a listed foreign person's transactions in property and property interests that are in the United States or controlled a U.S. person, and (2) require each financial institution that is a U.S. person and has within its possession or control such property or property interests to certify that it has frozen all such assets.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Ensure Access to DACA Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to provide an alien who received a grant of deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and who filed a DACA renewal request within a specified time frame with a short-term, interim grant of deferred action and employment authorization if there is a service disruption that causes a delay in reaching a final decision that lasts for at last one week. Such interim renewal shall be effective until a final decision is made.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2016
Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act of 2016 This bill prohibits courts from awarding damages to plaintiffs in civil actions using a calculation for projected future earning potential that takes into account a plaintiff's race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or actual or perceived sexual orientation. The Department of Labor must develop guidance for economists to develop future earnings tables that do not rely on such factors. Labor and the Department of Justice must develop guidance for states on how to calculate future earnings in state tort proceedings in a manner that is free of such biases. The Judicial Conference of the United States must report on damages awarded under federal law for personal injury, employment discrimination, tort damages, and cases involving protected classes of individuals sharing a common characteristic or identity who are legally protected against discrimination. The Administrative Office of the United States Courts must submit recommendations to ensure that future earnings calculations that take into account age and disability do not conflict with federal equal protection laws. The Federal Judicial Center must train federal judges on how to implement this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Presidential Accountability Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for the President or Vice President to personally and substantially participate in official matters that affect their financial interests, unless the financial interests are held in a blind trust or the President or Vice President discloses the financial interests and receives an exemption. It imposes criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both—on a President or Vice President who commits the offense. It also authorizes civil penalties and injunctions. Additionally, a violation constitutes a high crime and misdemeanor (i.e., grounds for impeachment) under Article II, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution. Finally, the bill prohibits the President or Vice President from entering into contracts with the U.S. government.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2016
Norman Yoshio Mineta Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs 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 Norman Yoshio Mineta in recognition of his dedication to public service, civic engagement, and civil rights.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Norman Yoshio Mineta Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs 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 Norman Yoshio Mineta in recognition of his dedication to public service, civic engagement, and civil rights.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Recognizes the role of Latinos in protecting and preserving U.S. land, water, and wildlife. Supports the engagement of Latinos in environmental protection and conservation efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2016
Academic Success Centers and Education Networks for Dreamers (ASCEND) Act This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to not-for-profit institutions of higher education to develop programs that support Dreamer students in successfully completing postsecondary education. A "Dreamer student" is an individual who is a beneficiary of, or eligible for, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Esteems the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Expresses concern about: (1) widespread shortages of essential medicines and basic food products faced by the people of Venezuela and urges President Maduro to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and (2) the Venezuelan executive's lack of respect for the principle of separation of powers, its overreliance on emergency decree powers, and its subjugation of judicial independence. Expresses support for meaningful efforts towards a dialogue that leads to respect for Venezuela's constitutional mechanisms and resolves the country's political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis. Calls on: (1) the government of Venezuela to immediately release all political prisoners, to provide protections for freedom of expression and assembly, and to respect internationally recognized human rights; and (2) such government and security forces to respect the Constitution of Venezuela, including constitutional provisions that provide Venezuelan citizens with the right to peacefully pursue a fair and timely recall referendum for their president this year if they so choose. Stresses the urgency of strengthening the rule of law and increasing efforts to combat impunity and public corruption in Venezuela. Affirms the support of the House of Representatives for OAS Secretary General Almagro's invocation of Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and urges the OAS Permanent Council, which represents all of the organization's member states, to undertake a collective assessment of the constitutional and democratic order in Venezuela. Urges the President of the United States to provide full support for OAS efforts in favor of constitutional and democratic solutions to the political impasse, and to instruct appropriate federal agencies to hold officials of the Venezuelan government accountable for violations of U.S. law and abuses of internationally recognized human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Secure the Northern Triangle Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States must address the violence and humanitarian crisis resulting in the elevated numbers of unaccompanied children, women, and refugees from the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) arriving at the southwestern border of the United States. The bill authorizes appropriations for the United States Strategy for Engagement in Central America. Funds are made available for combating criminal violence and corruption and advancing economic development. The President shall designate a senior official to coordinate federal and international efforts to strengthen the rule of law and economic prosperity in Central America. The Millenium Challenge Corporation may fund concurrent compacts for regional integration. The Department of State shall submit a three-year strategy to secure international and regional support for the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall expand law enforcement partnership efforts in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to combat human smuggling and trafficking. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS shall expand collaborative programs aimed at human smugglers and traffickers targeting Central American children and families. The bill provides for: (1) increased sanctions against foreign narcotics traffickers and their foreign supporters operating in Central or South America; (2) increased resources for, and expedited processing under, the Central American Minors (CAM) program; and (3) strengthening the capacity of Mexico and other regional countries to provide asylum and global resettlement. The Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and Human Services shall perform record checks of prospective sponsors prior to placing an unaccompanied alien child with a sponsor. DHS shall: (1) monitor unaccompanied alien children after placement, and (2) provide funds to states for criminal registry and child abuse searches of prospective sponsors. The Department of Education shall provide funds to eligible school districts for unaccompanied alien children. A local educational agency shall: (1) ensure that unaccompanied alien children in the area are immediately enrolled in school following placement, and (2) remove enrollment and participation barriers. DHS shall: (1) ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all DHS-detained aliens, and (2) consult with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to develop a child-centered repatriation process. DOJ may appoint or provide legal counsel to individuals in immigration proceedings and shall appoint legal counsel for children and vulnerable individuals in such proceedings. DOJ shall increase the number of immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals attorneys.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
America's Call To Improve Opportunities Now for National Service Act or the ACTION for National Service Act This bill amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to reestablish the Corporation for National and Community Service as an independent executive agency called the National and Community Service Administration. An individual who successfully completes a term of full-time national service shall be entitled to a national service educational award equal to twice the amount of tuition for the institution of higher education where the individual is enrolled, not to exceed twice the average in-state tuition. Current law limits the award's value to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant that an individual is eligible to receive in the aggregate. Within the administration, the bill establishes an interagency working group to evaluate specified issues related to: (1) eligibility for tuition and student loan repayment assistance with regard to participation in certain national or volunteer service programs, (2) the advisability of granting federal hiring preference to certain volunteer program participants, and (3) methods for increasing the participation of seniors in national service programs. The National Service Foundation, a nonprofit corporation established by the bill, shall accept and administer gifts made in connection with the administration. The bill expresses support for the authorization of appropriations sufficient to provide, within 10 years, volunteer service opportunities for at least 1 million volunteers in full-time national service annually. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude AmeriCorps educational awards from gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 810 N US Highway 83 in Zapata, Texas, as the "Zapata Veterans Post Office."