United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2019
Global Child Thrive Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes for FY2020-FY2025 programs to provide assistance to orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries. The bill also requires the U.S. Agency for International Development to direct relevant executive branch agencies to incorporate early childhood development into current programs and promote inclusive early childhood development in partner countries. Such actions to promote early childhood development shall build on existing U.S. plans and strategies and aim to (1) prevent unnecessary family-child separation, (2) assist families with children with disabilities, and (3) help countries transition from child care protection systems that rely on residential care (such as orphanages and children's homes) to ones focused on family-based care.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2019
Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2024 the Healthy Start program, which provides grants that support interventions to improve women’s health before, during, and after pregnancy. Further, the bill requires the Health Resources and Services Administration to consider communities with high rates of infant mortality when awarding grants and requires the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the program’s health outcomes.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2019
Seeding Rural Resilience Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a public service announcement campaign to address the mental health of farmers and ranchers, including television, radio, print, outdoor, and digital public service announcements. Additionally, USDA must establish a voluntary program to train employees of the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the management of stress experienced by farmers and ranchers, including the detection of stress and suicide prevention; and convene a task force of agricultural and rural stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels to assess the causes of mental stress in farmers and ranchers and identify best practices for responding to such stress.
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
Timely ReAuthorization of Necessary Stem-cell Programs Lends Access to Needed Therapies Act of 2019 or the TRANSPLANT Act of 2019 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2025 the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, which provides support to patients who need a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant or umbilical cord blood transplant. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a periodic review of the science of using adult stem cells and birthing tissues in therapeutic treatments.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2019
Courtney Wild Crime Victims' Rights Reform Act of 2019 This bill expands the rights of crime victims, including by allowing victims to make motions to annul or rescind prosecutorial agreements, providing for attorneys' fees for victims who prevail against the United States in enforcement actions, and permitting victims to bring civil actions to enforce restitution orders. It also requires the Department of Justice to take specified actions to ensure the rights of victims.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Advancing Research to Prevent Suicide Act This bill directs the National Science Foundation to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to institutions of higher education (or their consortia) to support multidisciplinary, fundamental research with potential relevance to suicide, including potential relevance to prevention and treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Safe at Home Act This bill requires each executive agency and federal court to accept, for any purpose for which an individual is required to provide an address to the agency or court, an address designated to that individual pursuant to an address confidentiality program (e.g., a program to protect stalking or domestic violence victims).
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Take Unsafe Limos Off the Road Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to award grants to states that have enacted and are enforcing laws that require the impoundment or immobilization of stretch limousines if such limousines are found to have certain defects upon inspection.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Safety, Accountability, and Federal Enforcement of Limos Act of 2019 or the SAFE Limos Act This bill establishes safety standards for stretch limousines. Among other requirements, the bill requires safety belts to be installed in stretch limousines with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 8,500 pounds at each designated seating position, including on side-facing seats; the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop and issue guidelines, best practices, and recommendations to assist stretch limousine alterers develop and administer a vehicle modifier plan; DOT to complete research into side impact protection, roof crush resistance, and air bag systems for the protection of occupants in stretch limousines given alternative seating positions or interior configurations, including perimeter seating arrangements; stretch limousine operators to disclose (1) the date of the most recent inspection of the limousine required under state or federal law, (2) the results of the inspection, and (3) any corrective actions taken to ensure the limousine passes inspection; and the use of event data recorders in stretch limousines.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
End the Limo Loophole Act This bill revises the definition of commercial motor vehicle to include vehicles that are designed to transport 9 or more passengers including the driver (currently, at least 16 passengers including the driver) and requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to finalize a rulemaking to require states to implement an annual inspection program for commercial passenger-carrying vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Sustainable Municipal Access to Resilient Technology in Infrastructure Act or the SMART Infrastructure Act This bill directs a state or locality that receives funds from the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to require open and free competition among suppliers of construction materials. The Department of Transportation, the EPA, the Corps of Engineers, and USDA shall establish an interagency task force to issue a comprehensive report on federally funded infrastructure projects.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
College Affordability Act This bill reauthorizes and revises the Higher Education Act of 1965, including to revise federal student financial aid programs, consolidate federal student loans and expand loan forgiveness , increase college access and success for certain students, and revise accountability measures. Specifically, the bill revises financial aid programs, including to (1) increase the maximum federal Pell Grant award, (2) provide incentives for states to fund public institutions of higher education (IHEs), and (3) increase and make permanent funding for minority-serving IHEs. The bill also revises federal student loan programs, including to (1) replace existing student loan repayment plans with one income-based repayment plan and one fixed repayment plan, (2) allow existing borrowers to lower their payments by switching to the new plans, and (3) expand public service loan forgiveness programs (e.g., TEACH grants) and create appeal processes for denied applications. In addition, the bill increases college access and success for certain students (e.g., students with low-income, children, or the disabled) through investments and practices, such as student support services and accelerated learning opportunities. Finally, the bill revises accountability measures for IHEs (including for-profit IHEs), job training programs, college accrediting agencies, and lenders. In particular, the bill updates the performance goals of the Office of Federal Student Aid and requires the Department of Education to be responsible for the oversight of the office.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 21701 Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, California, as the "Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
National World War II Memorial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia. The design of the coins shall be emblematic of the memorial and the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during World War II. All surcharges received from the sale of such coins shall be paid to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the memorial, and for educational and commemorative programs.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
Dual Credit Innovation Act This bill directs the Department of Education to annually recognize with a Dual Credit Innovation Award eligible partnerships between an institution of higher education that provides a dual credit program and a local educational agency or high school. A dual credit program is a program offered by such a partnership through which a secondary school student who has not graduated from high school with a regular high school diploma is able to enroll in one or more postsecondary courses and earn postsecondary credit that (1) is transferable to the institutions of higher education in the partnership, and (2) applies toward completion of a degree or recognized educational credential.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2019
Improving Access to Higher Education Act of 2019 This bill addresses accessibility issues of students with disabilities in higher education. Specifically, the bill revises a grant program that supports postsecondary institutions of higher education (IHE) in educating students with disabilities. The Department of Education must award at least five grants to an IHE that provides professional development and technical assistance in order to improve access to and completion of postsecondary education for students, including students with disabilities. The bill also (1) revises and reauthorizes through FY2024 a program for national technical assistance centers that assist students with disabilities, and (2) reauthorizes through FY2024 a program to promote training and job placement of real-time writers to provide closed captioning of videos. Further, the bill establishes a new program that awards grants to IHEs for certain activities that improve accessibility of instruction and materials, such as distance education courses. The bill also establishes an independent commission to develop guidelines for accessible postsecondary electronic instructional materials and related technologies. In addition, the bill requires each IHE to establish an office of accessibility to develop and implement policies that support students with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2019
Collecting and Analyzing Resources Integral and Necessary for Guidance for Social Determinants Act of 2019 or the CARING for Social Determinants Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance to help states address social determinants of health (e.g., socioeconomic factors) under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2019
This resolution extends condolences to the family and loved ones of Lieutenant Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was killed in the line of duty in Houston, Texas, on September 27, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2019
Stop College Closures Act of 2019 This bill revises provisions related to the recognition of an accrediting agency or association as a reliable authority on the quality of education or training offered by an institution of higher education (IHE). Specifically, an accreditor must (1) monitor the growth of programs at IHEs that are experiencing significant enrollment decline; (2) require, review, and approve the mandatory teach-out plan submitted by an IHE upon the occurrence of certain events indicating a potential school closure; and (3) respond to student complaints and monitor, assess, and submit such complaints to the Department of Education and the relevant state agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2019
This bill defines a full-time health care practitioner for the purpose of participation in the student loan repayment plan for public service employees. Specifically, the bill establishes a definition that encompasses an individual employed as a health care practitioner at a nonprofit or public hospital or facility who is prohibited from being directly employed by such hospital or facility under state law.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2019
This bill permanently extends the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to make grants for the transportation of highly rural veterans to health care facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2019
Modernizing VA's Records Management Program Act This bill authorizes the treatment of digitized records (e.g., photographs or files) as original documents for purposes of claims under laws of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), so long as the digitized versions are made in compliance with document disposal laws. Under the bill, the VA may not be required to produce or retain original physical files or records, including for proceedings occurring at the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. The bill requires the VA to implement a process to ensure a digitized record pertaining to a claim is (1) of sufficient quality to be viewed and read on an electronic screen, and (2) an accurate reproduction of the original file or document. The VA must return an original document or file to a claimant once the digitized version has been made. Finally, the VA must resolve any doubt regarding the accuracy of a digitized file or document pertaining to a claim in favor of the claimant if (1) the VA did not implement the process to ensure the quality and accuracy of the digitized version, (2) the claimant presents credible evidence that there is a deficiency or alteration to the file, or (3) the claimant presents credible evidence that such digitized version is missing from VA records.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2019 This bill expands the requirements for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Program. Specifically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must (1) develop a plan to ensure the provision of high quality service, (2) strengthen data-sharing agreements to facilitate the transmission of epidemiological data from the program to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and (3) implement a pilot program focused on using other communications platforms (e.g., social media and texting) for suicide prevention. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to study the program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Expanding Disability Access to Higher Education Act This bill establishes and revises programs to increase access to higher education for students with disabilities and increase their graduation rates. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award additional funds under existing TRIO programs (i.e., programs designed to identify and support disadvantaged students) to increase the number of individuals with disabilities served by such programs; award grants to institutions of higher education to establish offices of accessibility on their campuses to support students and staff with disabilities; and collect data on students served by TRIO programs and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, including with respect to student persistence in such programs, graduation rates, postsecondary enrollment rates, and supports provided to enrolled students. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to review and report on how ED and TRIO program agencies identify and support students with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2019 This bill establishes the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program. Under the program, grants may be awarded for providing and expanding study abroad opportunities for undergraduate students.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
This joint resolution nullifies a rule issued by the Department of Education (ED) on September 23, 2019. The rule revised the process for a student loan borrower to obtain a discharge from a student loan if an institution of higher education misrepresented a material fact. Among other requirements, the 2019 rule requires each borrower to apply to ED for a defense to repayment. However, under the previous 2016 rule, an application could be submitted on behalf of an entire group (e.g., veterans).
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
Pediatricians Accelerate Childhood Therapies Act of 2019 or the PACT Act of 2019 This bill provides statutory authority for the Trans-National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pediatric Research Consortium to coordinate pediatric research across national health research institutions. The consortium, chaired by the director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, must develop priorities for the NIH to award research grants to early career pediatric researchers, including physician-scientists and researchers from underrepresented populations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2019
This bill authorizes the Indian Health Service (IHS) to purchase certain private land in Hemet, California, at fair market value and then construct a paved road on that land to facilitate access to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center. The IHS shall maintain the road or enter an agreement with Riverside County, California, to maintain the road.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2019
Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program Extension Act of 2019 This bill extends the Department of Agriculture 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program. (Under current law, the program provides disaster payments to agricultural producers who suffered crop, tree, bush, and vine losses resulting from hurricanes and wildfires that occurred in the 2017 calendar year.) The bill extends the availability of the funding for the program through December 31, 2021, and expands the program to include losses resulting from hurricanes and wildfires occurring in calendar year 2018 or 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2019
Hotel Advertising Transparency Act of 2019 This bill requires hotels, and other places of short-term lodging, to include all required fees in the advertised rate.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2019
Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act or the CURD Act This bill provides statutory authority for a definition of natural cheese. Under the bill, natural cheese is defined as cheese that is produced from animal milk or certain dairy ingredients and is produced in accordance with established cheese-making standards.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2019
Protecting America's Food and Agriculture Act of 2019 This bill authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), every fiscal year, to hire, train, and assign 240 new agricultural specialists until the total number of specialists equals and sustains the requirements identified each year in the Agriculture Resource Allocation Model. The CBP may also hire, train, and assign support staff to assist the specialists and specified levels of agricultural canine teams. In calculating the number of specialists needed at each port of entry through the Agriculture Resource Allocation Model, the Office of Field Operations of the CBP must (1) rely on data collected regarding the inspections and other activities conducted at each such port of entry; and (2) consider volume from seasonal surges, other projected changes in commercial and passenger volumes, the most current commercial forecasts, and other relevant information.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
Greater Mental Health Access Act This bill establishes a special enrollment period for family members of individuals who died by suicide to enroll in, or change enrollment under, a health insurance plan. The bill also requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to use funds from the Prevention and Public Health Fund to award grants to medical providers and others to provide outpatient mental health services for individuals impacted by the attempted or completed suicide of a friend or family member.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
Timely Mental Health for Foster Youth Act This bill requires an initial mental health screening within 30 days after a child enters foster care. In the case of a child for whom a mental health issue is identified in such initial screening, a comprehensive assessment of the child's mental health must be completed within 60 days after the child's entry into foster care. The Department of Health and Human Services must provide technical assistance for states to implement this requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
Electronic Books Opening Opportunity for Knowledge Act of 2019 or the E-BOOK Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of Education to award grants to up to 10 institutions of higher education for pilot programs that reduce the cost of attendance for undergraduate students by expanding student access to digital course materials. A preference is given to applications that demonstrate a commitment to serving disadvantaged students. Grant recipients must make digital course materials available to undergraduate students in at least two different academic departments.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Advancing Access to Precision Medicine Act This bill allows state Medicaid programs to cover DNA sequencing clinical services for certain individuals. Specifically, states may cover such services for individuals under the age of 21 (or a lower age, if the state chooses) and for former foster youth under the age of 26 who (1) have been referred or admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit and seen by a medical specialist for a chronic or undiagnosed disease, and (2) are suspected by a medical specialist to have a pediatric-onset genetic disease. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may award grants to assist states in developing plans to cover such services. Additionally, the National Academy of Medicine must study the effects of genetic and genomic testing and ways to expand health insurance coverage of such services, including under Medicare and Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Training Act of 2019 This bill requires the Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the Administration for Children and Families to award grants to nonprofits, state agencies, elementary and secondary schools for demonstration projects to train students, teachers, and school personnel how to better understand, recognize, prevent, and respond to human trafficking and the exploitation of children and youth. Such projects also must collect data about the number of human trafficking survivors served and develop procedures to coordinate with law enforcement and appropriate social service organizations. The OTIP must consult with the appropriate agencies to determine and prioritize funding for geographic areas with the highest prevalence of human trafficking and largest underserved youth populations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing Disclosure Act of 2019 This bill requires air carriers that provide scheduled passenger or cargo air transportation to publicly disclose their aircraft maintenance practices, including the location and date that an aircraft underwent heavy maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Strengthen CTE in Higher Education Act This bill authorizes appropriations for greater cooperation and alignment between Perkins Career and Technical Education programs and educational institutions and employers, including outlying areas and tribally-controlled institutions. Specifically, entities offering these programs are eligible when partnering with a local educational agency or a consortia of local educational agencies, an area career and technical education school, a state or local workforce development system, and a four-year institution of higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2019
Protecting Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act This bill revises the conditions allowing a service member to terminate a commercial mobile, telephone exchange, Internet access, or multichannel video programming service contract at any time after the date the service member receives military orders to relocate for at least 90 days to a location that does not support such contract. It treats as individuals covered, and therefore allowed to terminate such a contract (1) a spouse or dependent of a service member who dies while in military service or a member of the reserve components performing full-time or active reserve duty or inactive-duty training; (2) a spouse or dependent of a service member who incurs a catastrophic injury or illness, if the member incurs the injury or illness while performing such duty; and (3) a member of the reserve components performing such duty.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2019
Yes In My Backyard Act This bill requires certain Community Development Block Grant program recipients to submit to the Department of Housing and Community Development information regarding their implementation of certain land-use policies (e.g., policies for reducing minimum lot size).
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act This bill expands requirements for fighting human trafficking that apply to foreign countries receiving U.S. foreign assistance. (The President is authorized to reduce assistance to, or take other actions against, countries that fail to meet such requirements and are not making significant efforts to do so.) The Department of State, when evaluating whether a country has met such requirements, shall assess whether the country has made serious efforts to prohibit the purchase of commercial sex acts if the central government has authority to do so, whereas currently the State Department must assess whether a country has made serious efforts to reduce such activities. The State Department shall also assess whether a country has made serious efforts to educate buyers of commercial sex acts on how traffickers exploit prostituted persons.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act or the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a pilot program to assess the effectiveness of addressing post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder through a method where veterans train service dogs for veterans with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Enhance Access To SNAP Act of 2019 or the EATS Act of 2019 This bill expands eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to students attending institutions of higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Barriers to Suicide Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a program to facilitate the installation of evidence-based suicide deterrents on bridges, including suicide prevention nets and barriers. DOT may award competitive grants to states and local governments to carry out the program. The Government Accountability Office must conduct a study to identify the types of structures, other than bridges, that attract a high number of individuals attempting suicide-by-jumping and the types of nets or barriers that are effective at reducing such suicides.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Build More Housing Near Transit Act This bill revises requirements for the fixed guideway capital investment grant program. Specifically, the bill requires capital investment grant applicants to conduct a housing feasibility assessment along proposed transit routes prior to a project advancing to the engineering phase of development, and prioritizes a commitment to changing local land use policies in project station areas to accommodate affordable and market-rate housing development.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act This bill requires the Department of Education to encourage institutions of higher education to develop and implement comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans.
![Official portrait of Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/h001090_200.jpg)