United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2018
Recognizes that the health of the patient should always come first and that the patient should be able to rely on their medical providers for medically accurate and evidence-based information about the full range of health care options, including information about access to safe and legal abortion. Opposes efforts seeking to limit access to reproductive health care options.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Students Over Special Interests Act This bill terminates the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and forgives the outstanding balance of interest and principal due on federal student loans.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act This bill prohibits the Bureau of Land Management from administering an oil and gas leasing, development, production, and transportation program in and from the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2018
Executive Branch Comprehensive Ethics Enforcement Act of 2018 This bill expands the duties and authorities of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). Among other things, the bill authorizes the OGE to do the following: issue subpoenas during investigations; and order corrective actions (e.g., divestiture) and issue administrative remedies (e.g., suspension or demotion).
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2018
Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2018 This bill requires the House of Representatives and the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the U.S. merchant mariners of World War II, in recognition of their service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Food Security Improvement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits to be calculated using a low-cost food plan. The Department of Agriculture must determine the requirements for the low-cost food plan using the diet described in the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion's publication entitled "The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007" and adjustments specified in this bill. The bill revises the amounts of nutrition assistance block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa and requires the amounts to be modified based on adjustments to the low-cost food plan.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2018
Recognizes the fourth anniversary of the Chibok girls kidnapping and calls for the release of all Boko Haram captives, especially the remaining Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu. Acknowledges U.S. and Nigerian efforts to defeat Boko Haram. Requests that the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development create a plan to address the needs of women and girls adversely impacted by extremism and conflict. Commends the swift enactment of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2018
Workplace Democracy Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and related labor laws to preserve workers' rights to join labor organizations and engage in collective bargaining. Specifically, it prohibits employers from classifying employees as independent contractors or supervisors to avoid employee participation in union activities; allows the National Labor Relation Board to certify a union, without a secret election, if it receives the consent of the majority of eligible workers; requires employers to begin negotiating with a new union within 10 days of its certification; prohibits coercion of employees to to participate in campaign activities unrelated to their job duties; requires employers to make disclosures of anti-labor organization activities; and repeals provisions allowing states to prevent labor organizations from collecting dues from nonunion workers who benefit from union representation (right to work laws).
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that compensation of public school teachers should be comparable to other college graduates with years in the workforce where the teachers are employed.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2018
Burn Pits Accountability Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the military departments to evaluate whether each member of the Armed Forces has been (1) based or stationed where an open air burn pit was used to dispose of waste, or (2) exposed to toxic airborne chemicals. Members located where an open burn pit was used or exposed to toxic airborne chemicals must be enrolled in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, unless the member elects not to enroll. The evaluations must be included in periodic health assessments, physical exams conducted immediately prior to separation from active duty, and deployment assessments. DOD must share the results of the evaluations with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2018
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month. (PCOS is caused by a hormone imbalance. Symptoms can include infertility, weight gain, excess hair growth, and acne.) Recognizes the need for further research, improved treatment and care options, and a cure for PCOS. Acknowledges the struggles affecting all women and girls afflicted with PCOS.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2018
Supports: (1) the designation of National Small Business Week, (2) efforts to encourage consumers to shop locally, and (3) efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of locally owned small business on the U.S. economy. Honors the vital role of small business and entrepreneurs in the United States during such week. Recognizes: (1) the important role of the Small Business Administration as a valuable resource for the U.S. entrepreneur, (2) the importance of creating policies that promote a business friendly environment for small business owners free of unnecessary regulations, and (3) the National Small Business Person of the Year and the National Lender of the Year. Encourages young entrepreneurs to pursue their passions and create more start-up businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Affirms a commitment to elevate the voices, leadership, and needs of disenfranchised and underserved communities in the effort to end sexual violence and support survivors of sexual violence.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2018 This bill establishes a statutory framework for the licensing and registration of all handguns owned, possessed, or controlled in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2018
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into an agreement with the city of Vallejo, California, for the transfer to the VA of Mare Island Naval Cemetery in Vallejo, California, to be maintained as a national shrine.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2018 This bill establishes a series of grant programs to assist localities with addressing the opioid epidemic, such as through prevention and treatment services, training centers, and research activities.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Women's Equality Workforce Oversight Act or the WE Work Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study to determine which federal agencies have the greatest impact on women's participation in the workforce and evaluate the impact of those agencies. Such agencies shall include, at a minimum: the Department of Labor, specifically the Women's Bureau; the Department of Transportation; the Small Business Administration, including the Office of Women's Business Ownership; and any apprenticeship program that receives funding from a federal agency. The study shall examine, among other things, each agency's policies and procedures for improving the participation of women in the workforce and shall also include an analysis of specific barriers to such participation.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2018
Removing Barriers to Allergy Diagnostic Testing Act of 2018 This bill provides for equal coverage of specified types of allergy diagnostic testing services under both Medicaid and Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2018
Special Counsel Transparency Act of 2018 This bill establishes reporting requirements with respect to a special counsel appointed under Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations. Specifically, it establishes these requirements: a special counsel must report periodically on the status of an investigation; a special counsel who is removed from office must report on the status of an investigation, as of the date of dismissal; and DOJ must report on the status of an investigation following the removal of a special counsel.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Expresses support for the designation of National Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Appreciation Week. Recognizes that such personnel implement evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes. Commends the National Alliance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel for its efforts to promote and improve the availability of specialized instructional support services.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2018
Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act This bill sets forth requirements and limitations with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel appointed by the Attorney General, or of another official appointed by the Attorney General who exercises a similar degree of independence from the Department of Justice (DOJ) chain of command. Specifically, a special counsel or other appointed official: may only be removed by the Attorney General or the most senior Senate-confirmed DOJ official, in certain circumstances; may only be removed for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or other good cause; must be provided written notice that specifies the reason for removal; and may file an action to challenge the removal not later than 10 days after notice was provided.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act This bill requires federal employees furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about March 23, 2018, to be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for the period of such lapse as soon as practicable after such lapse ends.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2018
Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2018 This bill prohibits discrimination, under a federally assisted program, against public school students on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates. The bill authorizes federal departments and agencies to terminate the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating this prohibition. An aggrieved individual may assert a violation of this bill in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2018
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act This bill reaffirms the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation as trust land in Massachusetts. In addition, the bill requires actions, including actions pending in federal court, relating to the land to be dismissed.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2018
Directing Implementation of Sanctions and Accountability for Russian Mischief Act or the DISARM Act This bill directs the President to impose property-blocking and U.S. entry sanctions against certain senior Russian foreign political figures or oligarchs and parastatal entities (and associated individuals) not currently subject to sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2018
Tip Income Protection (TIP) Act of 2018 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 with respect to the definition of wage to provide that except in the case of the pooling of tips, all tips received by any employee, including an employee that is not a tipped employee, shall be the property of, and retained by, the employee, including in the case of an employer that pays a tipped employee a cash wage that equals or exceeds the minimum wage.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
Urban Progress Act of 2018 This bill amends various provisions of law and sets forth new provisions to promote economic development, expand employment opportunities, reduce gun violence, and limit the impact of poverty. Among other things, it: makes permanent the work opportunity tax credit and increases it for employers who hire ex-felons; establishes grants to promote commercial development in underserved communities, to provide career training programs, and to support summer employment opportunities for youth; increases tax deductions for business start-up expenditures and for corporations' organizational expenditures; establishes a working group to develop a national plan to reduce child poverty; increases Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, when school is not in session, for households with minor children; increases the child tax credit for low-income taxpayers; creates a process to expunge and seal certain youth criminal records; authorizes grants to prevent juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity; makes trafficking in firearms a stand-alone criminal offense; requires annual reports on the public health effects of gun violence; broadens the categories of prohibited persons who are barred from receiving or possessing firearms; requires states to submit mental health and criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; requires federal agencies and departments, including courts, to certify whether they provided disqualifying records of prohibited persons; prohibits firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed dealer first conducts a background check; requires gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms; and prohibits licensed gun dealers from transferring firearms to unlicensed persons prior to background check completion.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
Keeping Guns from High-Risk Individuals Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to expand the categories of prohibited persons (i.e., persons who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm or ammunition) to include the following: (1) persons convicted of a crime of violence in the most recent 10-year period; (2) persons under age 25 who have been adjudicated as having committed an offense that would have been a crime of violence if committed by an adult; (3) persons convicted, during a consecutive 3-year period in the most recent 10-year period, of two separate offenses involving drug or alcohol possession or distribution; and (4) persons convicted of stalking.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
Firearm Safety Act of 2018 This bill amends the Consumer Product Safety Act to allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue safety standards for firearms and firearm components.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
This bill requires the Surgeon General to report annually to Congress on the effects of gun violence on public health and the status of actions taken to address those effects.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2018
United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018 This bill extends Military Financing Program grants for Israel through FY2023. The Department of Defense shall conduct a joint assessment with Israel regarding: (1) precision guided munitions needed by Israel in a sustained armed confrontation with Hezbollah and other armed groups and terrorist organizations, and (2) related U.S. assistance and resupply planning. The President may utilize the Special Defense Acquisition Fund to transfer precision guided munitions and related defense articles and services to reserve stocks for Israel. Authorities for loan guarantees and the war reserves stockpile for Israel are extended through FY2023. The Department of Homeland Security shall establish a seven-year grant program with Israel to support: (1) cybersecurity research and development, and (2) commercialization of cybersecurity technology. The U.S. Agency for International Development may enter into memoranda of understanding with Israel to advance common goals on energy, agriculture and food security, democracy, economic growth, education, and health. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall continue to work with the Israel Space Agency to pursue peaceful space exploration and science initiatives. The President may enter into a cooperative project agreement with Israel to carry out research and joint production of defense articles and services to detect and destroy unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones) that threaten the United States or Israel. The bill states that it is U.S. policy to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2018
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month. Recognizes and honors the women and organizations in the United States that have fought for and continue to promote the teaching of women's history.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to create a loan repayment program for individuals who complete a period of service in a substance use disorder treatment job in a mental health professional shortage area or a county where the drug overdose death rate is higher than the national average. The substance use disorder treatment job must be a full-time position where the primary intent and function is the direct care of patients with or in recovery from a substance use disorder. Individuals must enter into an agreement of service of up to six years with the Health Resources and Services Administration. The repayment program shall pay one-sixth of the principal and interest on any eligible loan for each year of service; the maximum total amount of repayment by the program is $250,000 per individual.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
Global Food Security Reauthorization Act of 2018 This bill amends the Global Food Security Act of 2016 to revise policy objectives and to: (1) extend through FY2021 the program to carry out those portions of the global food security strategy that relate to the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, and (2) expand requirements for reporting by the President regarding strategy implementation. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to extend through FY2021 the assistance program for international disaster relief and rehabilitation, including the set-aside for the emergency food security program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission entitled "Restoring Internet Freedom." The rule published on February 22, 2018: (1) restores the classification of broadband Internet access service as a lightly-regulated "information service"; (2) reinstates private mobile service classification of mobile broadband Internet access service; (3) requires Internet service providers to disclose information about their network management practices, performance characteristics, and commercial terms of service; and (4) eliminates the Internet Conduct Standard and the bright-line rules.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2018
Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is: (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; or (4) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. Additionally, the bill does not prohibit, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The legislation amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to require law enforcement agencies to be notified when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a grandfathered SAW. It also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 20 February 2018
Reaffirms that it is U.S. policy to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Moldova. Supports the Strategic Dialogue as a means to strengthen U.S.-Moldova relations and enhance Moldova's democratic, economic, and security reforms. Encourages enhanced U.S. partnerships with Moldova's government, private sector, and civil society and a focus of U.S. assistance on strengthening democratic institutions, diversifying and securing energy supplies, and promoting rural economic growth, trade, and job creation. Encourages Moldova to continue implementing democratic reforms. Encourages the President to expedite the implementation of Public Law 113-96 providing for U.S. international broadcast programming to counter Russian disinformation. Supports efforts to counter disinformation campaigns in Eastern Europe. Affirms Moldova's right to: (1) determine its own partnerships free of external pressure, and (2) associate with the European Union or any regional organization. Calls upon the Russian Federation to withdraw its military forces from the internationally recognized territory of Moldova, refrain from economic threats against Moldova, and cease support of separatist movements within Moldova. Supports efforts to resolve the Transnistria issue through a comprehensive settlement that secures Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity while providing a special status for the Transnistrian region within Moldova. Urges all parties to refrain from unilateral actions that may undermine efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution or jeopardize existing agreements. Encourages Transnistrian leaders and the Moldovan government to continue negotiations toward a political settlement. Affirms that Moldova's stability and security is a U.S. priority that can only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova and other European countries are respected.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2018
International Violence Against Women Act of 2018 This bill provides for a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. The bill establishes in the Department of State an Office of Global Women's Issues which shall be headed by an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. The Ambassador-at-Large shall: (1) coordinate U.S. government efforts regarding gender equality and the advancement of women and girls in foreign policy, and (2) develop or update periodically a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. The bill establishes in the U.S. Agency for International Development the position of Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment who shall direct policies, programs, and funding regarding gender equality and women's empowerment. The bill requires that U.S. assistance made available for humanitarian relief, conflict mitigation, and post-conflict reconstruction prevents and responds to violence against women and girls. The Department of State shall also identify incidents that occur during armed conflict and implement emergency responses.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2018
Saving America's Pollinators Act of 2018 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend the registration of members of the nitro group of neonicotinoid insecticides that are registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act for specified uses. Registration for such uses is suspended until the EPA determines that the insecticides will not cause unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators. The determination must be based on: an evaluation of the published and peer-reviewed scientific evidence, and a completed field study that evaluates residues, chronic low-dose exposure, and cumulative effects of multiple chemical exposures. For purposes of protecting and ensuring the long-term viability of native bees and other pollinators, the Department of the Interior must monitor and report on the health and population status of native bees.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2018
Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act This bill requires federal employees furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about February 8, 2018, to be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for the period of such lapse as soon as practicable after such lapse ends.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2018
Reuniting Families Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to recapture unused employment-based and family-sponsored visas from FY1992-FY2016; reclassify spouses, permanent partners, minor children, and stepchildren of permanent residents as immediate relatives; repeal the per-country immigration limits; repeal specified bars to reentry and allow waivers of inadmissibility to promote family unity; exempt children of naturalized Filipino veterans from immigration limitations; and allow relatives of a deceased alien to maintain visa eligibility. The bill defines "permanent partner" to purposes of applying the INA to LGBT families and individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2018
Women and Climate Change Act of 2018 This bill establishes a Federal Interagency Working Group on Women and Climate Change within the Department of State. The duties of the working group include: (1) coordinating the development of policies and activities of the federal government relating to addressing the effects of climate change on women, and (2) identifying and disseminating best practices for improved data collection relevant to the disparate impact of climate change on women. The working group and the State Department's Office of Global Women's Issues must develop a strategy to prevent and respond to the effects of climate change on women. The office must designate a Senior Coordinator for Women and Climate Change.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2018
Honors the contributions of school counselors to the success of students in elementary and secondary schools. Encourages the observation of National School Counseling Week with ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the crucial role school counselors play in preparing students for fulfilling lives as contributing members of society.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2018
SNAP Healthy Incentives Act of 201 8 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide a financial incentive for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) participants to purchase fruits and vegetables.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2018
No Unconstitutional Strike against North Korea Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) a conflict on the Korean peninsula would have catastrophic consequences; (2) actions and statements that increase tensions between the United States and North Korea should be avoided; and (3) the President should engage in talks with North Korea to reduce tensions and improve communication, initiate negotiations to achieve a diplomatic agreement to halt and eventually reverse North Korea's nuclear pursuits, and move toward denuclearization and a permanent peace in the Korean peninsula. Funds available to the Department of Defense or to any other federal department or agency may not be used to launch a military strike against North Korea or otherwise introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities in North Korea before the earlier of: (1) the date on which Congress declares war on North Korea, or (2) the date of an authorization that meets the requirements of the War Powers Resolution and that is enacted after the enactment of this bill. Such prohibition shall not apply to military force used to: (1) repel a sudden attack on the United States, its territories or possessions, its Armed Forces, or its allies; or (2) rescue or remove U. S. personnel.