United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2019
Prescription Drug Sunshine, Transparency, Accountability and Reporting Act or the Prescription Drug STAR Act This bill establishes requirements for prescription drug manufacturers to provide certain information about pricing, discounts, and product samples of applicable drugs. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to annually determine whether there are price increases of a certain threshold for outpatient prescription drugs covered under Medicare, excluding low-cost drugs. Manufacturers must provide HHS with an explanation for drug prices that (1) cumulatively increase by at least 10% or $10,000 over one year; (2) cumulatively increase by at least 25% or $25,000 over three years; or (3) are at least $26,000 annually, per individual, if first covered by Medicare during the applicable year. The manufacturer must explain the role of the factors contributing to such prices and other relevant information, including manufacturing costs, marketing costs, and revenue. Additionally, drug manufacturers must provide HHS with aggregate data related to product samples of drugs, devices, biologic products, and medical supplies given to hospitals, physicians, or other medical professionals during the previous calendar year, beginning in 2023. The bill further requires HHS to make publicly available the information related to drug discounts, rebates, and price concessions that is provided annually to HHS by group health plans. Drug manufacturers also must report to HHS certain sales information for drugs available under Medicare for which the manufacturer does not have a rebate agreement in place. The bill requires HHS to study and report on trends concerning inpatient hospital drug costs.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2019
Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act of 2019 or the FASTER Act of 2019 This bill directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand data collection of information related to food allergies and specific allergens and revises the definition of major allergen to specifically include sesame. The Department of Health and Human Services may designate additional food ingredients as major allergens based on the prevalence and severity of allergic reactions through regulation. The Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health must report on specified information regarding food allergies.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act or the STATES Act This bill eliminates regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act for certain marijuana-related activities that comply with state or tribal law. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the effects of marijuana legalization on traffic safety.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
This resolution acknowledges over 85 years of effective state-based alcohol regulation since the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution (repealing Prohibition) and reaffirms the continued support of Congress for policies that allow states to effectively regulate alcohol.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2019
Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan Authorization Act This bill requires the Department of the Interior to carry out the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan which was submitted to Congress on March 19, 2019, by Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Interior must execute the plan without delay and operate applicable Colorado River System reservoirs accordingly.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2019
Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 This bill modifies the requirements for employer-provided retirement plans, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), and other tax-favored savings accounts. With respect to employer-provided retirement plans, the bill modifies requirements regarding automatic enrollment and nonelective contributions; tax credits for small employers that establish certain plans; loans; lifetime income options; the treatment of custodial accounts upon termination of section 403(b) plans; retirement income accounts for church-controlled organizations; the eligibility rules for certain long-term, part-time employees; required minimum distributions; nondiscrimination rules; and minimum funding standards for community newspaper plans. The bill also includes provisions that treat taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation for the purpose of an IRA, repeal the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, treat difficulty of care payments as compensation for determining contribution limits for retirement accounts, allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans if a child is born or adopted, expand the purposes for which qualified tuition programs (commonly known as 529 plans) may be used, reinstate and increase the tax exclusion for certain benefits provided to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders, increase penalties for failing to file tax returns, and require the Internal Revenue Service to share tax information with U.S. Customs Border Protection to administer the heavy vehicle use tax.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act This bill establishes in the Smithsonian Institution a comprehensive women's history museum. Such museum shall be named by the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. The bill establishes a council, that, among other things, shall make recommendations to the board on the planning, design, and construction of the museum. The board shall designate a site for the museum, with priority given to a site that is on or near the National Mall.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Lymphedema Treatment Act of 2019 This bill includes certain lymphedema compression treatment items as covered 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 · 27 March 2019
Indian Water Rights Settlement Extension Act This bill makes the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund permanent. Currently, it terminates at the end of FY2034.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Younger Onset Alzheimer's Act This bill makes individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease (i.e., individuals who experienced onset of the disease before age 60) eligible for certain federal grants and programs that support older adults. Under current law, these grants and programs serve only individuals 60 and older.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
Preserving America's Infrastructure Dollars Act of 2019 or the PAID Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Transportation to require each state to conduct a life-cycle cost analysis for each project of the state that (1) receives federal highway financial assistance, and (2) has an estimated total cost of $30 million or more.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
This resolution promotes increased public awareness of motorcycle profiling. The resolution also encourages the motorcycle community and law enforcement to collaborate and communicate on efforts to end motorcycle profiling.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
Restoring Investment in Improvements Act This bill confirms that the applicable recovery period for qualified improvement property (nonresidential real estate) for depreciation purposes is 15 years under the modified accelerated cost recovery system (MACRS) and 20 years under the alternative depreciation system (ADS).
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
National Law Enforcement Museum Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins that are emblematic of the National Law Enforcement Museum in the District of Columbia and the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers throughout the history of the United States. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges, which shall be distributed to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2019 This bill exempts traditional large and premium cigars from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and from user fees assessed on tobacco products by the FDA.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
United States-Israel Cooperation Enhancement and Regional Security Act This bill authorizes various joint research and cooperation programs between the United States and Israel, reauthorizes security assistance to Israel, and establishes reporting requirements regarding various related issues. The bill authorizes the Department of State to work with Israel on research and development to establish directed energy capabilities. It authorizes through FY2024 cooperative projects involving the United States, Israel, and developing countries to identify and address sustainability challenges related to water resources, agriculture, and energy storage. The bill authorizes through FY2022 (1) activities of the U.S.-Israel Energy Center; (2) cooperation with and assistance to Israel related to security, explosives detection, and cybersecurity; (3) activities related to the U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund; and (4) activities to establish a cooperative program with Israel to develop health technologies. The State Department shall establish a grant program to support cybersecurity research and development and commercialization of cybersecurity technology open to joint ventures involving U.S. and Israeli entities. The President shall establish contingency plans to provide Israel with necessary defense articles and services and assess plans to assist and supply Israel with munitions in the event of a sustained armed confrontation with Hezbollah. The bill authorizes the President to (1) waive export control requirements and immediately transfer defense articles to Israel in response to an existing or imminent military threat, and (2) transfer precision guided munitions to Israel as necessary for legitimate self-defense. The bill extends through FY2024 security assistance and loan guarantees for Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
This resolution opposes the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) and other efforts targeting Israel, and states that BDS undermines the possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution urges both sides to return to direct negotiations and expresses support for a solution resulting in the state of Israel existing alongside a democratic Palestinian state.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2019 or the Expanding Access to DSMT Act of 2019 This bill expands Medicare coverage of diabetes outpatient self-management training and establishes a demonstration program to test an online platform that provides such training.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2019
Lyon County Economic Development and Environmental Remediation Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to convey to Atlantic Richfield Company all right, title, and interest (including miner rights) of the United States in and to approximately 2,062 acres of five parcels of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and located in Lyon County, Nevada. This conveyance is for the purpose of remediation and reclamation of abandoned copper mines on the land and economic development in the county.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act This bill increases the number of states that may participate in two-year Medicaid demonstration programs that improve access to community mental health services. It also extends the two-year term for existing state demonstration programs by two years.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Partner with Korea Act This bill creates an E-4 treaty trader visa category for up to 15,000 nationals of South Korea each fiscal year who are coming to the United States solely to perform specialty occupation services, subject to various requirements. The 15,000 limit shall only apply to principal aliens and not the spouses or children of such aliens. A specialty occupation is one that requires the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor's degree or higher.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, with an aggregate increase of 3,000 positions per fiscal year for five years. Of these positions, at least one-third must be for hospitals that are already operating above applicable resident limits, subject to specified distribution rules.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
College Transparency Act This bill requires the National Center for Education Statistics to establish a secure and privacy-protected data system that contains information about postsecondary students. Specifically, the data system must evaluate student enrollment patterns, progression, completion, and postcollegiate outcomes, and higher education costs and financial aid; provide complete and customizable information for students and families making decisions about postsecondary education; reduce the requirements for reporting by institutions of higher education; and periodically match with other federal systems of data. The bill also establishes a postsecondary student data system advisory committee.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
Cancer Drug Parity Act of 2019 This bill requires health plans that cover anticancer medications administered by a health care provider to provide no less favorable cost sharing for patient-administered anticancer medications. This requirement applies to medications that are (1) approved by the Food and Drug Administration; (2) medically necessary for the cancer treatment; and (3) clinically appropriate in terms of type, frequency, extent site, and duration. To comply with this requirement, health plans may not, with respect to anticancer medications (1) change or replace benefits to increase out-of-pocket costs, (2) reclassify benefits to increase costs, or (3) apply more restrictive limitations to orally administered medications than to intravenously administered or injected medications.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Promoting Affordable Childcare for Everyone Act or the PACE Act This bill modifies the tax credit for expenses for household and dependent care services necessary for gainful employment (known as the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit) to (1) make the credit refundable, (2) increase the rate for the credit, and (3) require the dollar amounts for such credit to be adjusted for inflation after 2019. The bill also increases the amount of employer-provided dependent care assistance which may be excluded from the gross income of an employee and requires the increased exclusion amount to be adjusted for inflation after 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Community Services Block Grant Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes the Community Services Block Grant program through FY2028 and makes other changes to the program, including with respect to administration and leadership; performance measurement; and minimum and maximum allotments to states and territories.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 201 9 This bill makes the new markets tax credit permanent. It also modifies the credit to (1) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for the credit after 2018, and (2) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax for the credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments initially made after 2018).
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2019 or the PHIT Act of 201 9 This bill allows a medical care tax deduction for up to $1,000 ($2,000 for a joint return or a head of household) of qualified sports and fitness expenses per year. The bill defines "qualified sports and fitness expenses" as amounts paid exclusively for the sole purpose of participating in a physical activity, including (1) fitness facility memberships, (2) physical exercise or activity programs, and (3) equipment for a physical exercise or activity program.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019 or the SAFE Banking Act of 2019 This bill generally prohibits a federal banking regulator from penalizing a depository institution for providing banking services to a legitimate marijuana-related business. Specifically, the bill prohibits a federal banking regulator from (1) terminating or limiting the deposit insurance or share insurance of a depository institution solely because the institution provides financial services to a legitimate marijuana-related business; (2) prohibiting or otherwise discouraging a depository institution from offering financial services to such a business; (3) recommending, incentivizing, or encouraging a depository institution not to offer financial services to an account holder solely because the account holder is affiliated with such a business; (4) taking any adverse or corrective supervisory action on a loan made to a person solely because the person either owns such a business or owns real estate or equipment leased or sold to such a business; or (5) penalizing a depository institution for processing or collecting payments for such a business. As specified by the bill, a depository institution shall not, under federal law, be liable or subject to forfeiture for providing a loan or other financial services to a legitimate marijuana-related business.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
National POW/MIA Flag Act The bill changes the days on which the POW/MIA flag is required to be displayed at specified locations to all days on which the U.S. flag is displayed. (Current law requires the POW/MIA flag to be displayed only on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and Veterans Day.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
Jobs, Not Waste Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the Department of Energy from licensing, planning, developing, or constructing a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada until the Office of Management and Budget conducts a study on the economic viability of alternative uses of the site and Congress holds a hearing on the findings. (A nuclear waste repository is a site used for storing high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2019
Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019 This bill waives Medicare coinsurance requirements with respect to colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of the code billed for a resulting diagnosis or procedure.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2019
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2019 This bill expands Medicare coverage of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity. Specifically, the bill allows coverage for therapy that is provided by (1) a physician who is not a primary care physician; or (2) other health care providers (e.g., physician assistants and nurse practitioners) and approved counseling programs, if provided upon a referral from, and in coordination with, a physician or primary care practitioner. Currently, such therapy is covered only if provided by a primary care practitioner. The bill also allows coverage under Medicare's prescription drug benefit of drugs used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss management for individuals who are overweight.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2019
Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of one Congressional Gold Medal to Katherine Johnson, in recognition of her service to the United States as a mathematician; one Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Christine Darden, for her service to the United States as an aeronautical engineer; two Congressional Gold Medals in commemoration of the lives of Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, in recognition of their service to the United States during the Space Race; and one Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of all the women who served as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) between the 1930s and the 1970s.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2019
Aluminum Pricing Examination Act or the APEX Act This bill authorizes the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to set reference prices for aluminum premiums.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2019
Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2019 This bill delays reimposition of the annual fee on health insurers until 2022. Under current law, the annual fee for a health insurer is calculated based on the insurer's share of total premiums from the preceding year. The fee is suspended for 2019 (i.e., there is no fee based on premiums from 2018); reimposition is scheduled for 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2019
ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2019 This bill eliminates the five-month waiting period for disability benefits under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord). Under current law, individuals must wait five months after becoming disabled before their disability insurance benefit payments may begin.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment services for congenital anomalies and birth defects, such as reconstructive services and prosthetics. Coverage must include services that functionally improve, repair, or restore any body part that is medically necessary for normal bodily functions or appearance, as determined by the treating physician.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019 This bill revises payment rules under Medicare for graduate medical education (GME) costs with respect to a hospital that establishes a new medical residency training program. If a hospital has not entered into a GME affiliation agreement, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must establish the hospital's full-time equivalent (FTE) resident amount only after determining that the hospital's medical residency training program trains more than 1.0 FTE resident in a cost reporting period. If a hospital has an approved FTE resident amount that is based on other specified thresholds, the CMS must give the hospital the opportunity to have the amount reestablished when the hospital begins training FTE residents in excess of the applicable threshold. The bill also establishes similar thresholds for new determinations of certain adjustments to hospital payment limitations regarding FTE residents in allopathic and osteopathic medicine; a hospital that has an adjustment has the opportunity to have it redetermined once the applicable threshold is exceeded.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2019
Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act This bill funds through FY2090 the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Additionally, the bill modifies the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF): to allow claims to be filed until October 2089, to require VCF policies and procedures to be reassessed at least once every five years (currently, at least once annually), to require claimants to be paid for the amount by which a claim was reduced on the basis of insufficient funding, to remove the cap on noneconomic damages in certain circumstances, and to adjust the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 2019
This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
First Responder Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned Act of 2019 or the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act This bill allows disabled federal first responders (e.g., law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officers, and firefighters) to continue receiving federal retirement benefits in the same manner as though they had not been disabled. Under current law, federal first responders are subject to a mandatory retirement age of 57. To facilitate this earlier retirement, federal first responders are required to pay a greater percentage of their salary towards retirement. Additionally, their annuity amount is calculated at a higher rate than other federal employees. This bill allows a federal first responder to remain in the accelerated retirement system if they are placed in another civil service position outside of that system after returning to work from a work-related injury or illness. Further, if such an employee is separated from service before they are entitled to receive an annuity, they may receive a refund of their accelerated contributions.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act This bill establishes the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund into which, through FY2024, there shall be deposited an amount equal to 50% of all energy development revenues due to the federal government from oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy development on federal lands and waters. Deposited amounts must not exceed $1.3 billion for any fiscal year. From such amounts 80% shall be allocated to the National Park Service for high-priority deferred maintenance projects, ensuring parity between transportation and nontransportation projects; 10% shall be for the national wildlife refuge system maintenance backlog; 5% shall be for the public access and recreation backlog on public lands; and 5% shall be for school construction and deferred maintenance backlogs. The Department of the Interior must submit to Congress, with the President's annual budget submission, a list of projects receiving allocations from the fund and a description of each such project. Interior, and other specified agencies, may accept cash or in-kind donations that advance efforts to reduce maintenance backlogs and encourage public-private partnerships.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act This bill allows a state to use federal funds to cover a higher percentage of the costs for the construction and expansion of public target ranges. Specifically, a state may use specified federal grant funds to pay up to 90% of such costs (rather than 75%, as under current law). Additionally, amounts provided for these purposes shall remain available for five fiscal years (rather than two, as under current law).
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 404 South Boulder Highway in Henderson, Nevada, as the "Henderson Veterans Memorial Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019 This bill modifies the tax treatment of certain alcoholic beverages to exclude the aging period from the production period for beer, wine, or distilled spirits for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period; reduce excise tax rates on beer and distilled spirits; permit the transfer of beer between bonded facilities without payment of tax; increase the amount of the small wine producer tax credit and expand the categories of producers covered by such credit; allow an adjustment to the producer credit for hard cider; and modify the alcohol content limitations that apply to certain wines for tax purposes. The Department of the Treasury must amend applicable regulations with respect to the use of wholesome products suitable for human consumption in the production of fermented beverages. The bill also increases funding for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2019
Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019 This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund if an appropriations bill for the FAA has not been enacted before a fiscal year begins or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the FAA is not in effect. The bill provides appropriations at the rate of operations that was provided for the prior fiscal year to continue programs, projects, and activities for which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 This bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China. The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2020-FY2022, by reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Employer Participation in Repayment Act of 2019 This bill expands 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.
![Official portrait of Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/a000369_200.jpg)