United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2015 This bill amends the Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2009 to repeal the sunset of, and so extend indefinitely, the exclusion from resources under titles XVI (Supplemental Security Income) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, for eligibility purposes, of compensation in the amount of the first $2,000 per year received by individuals who participate in clinical trials for rare diseases or conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to: (1) complete, within 12 months of enactment, the required audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board) and of the Federal Reserve Banks; and (2) submit to Congress, within 90 days of audit completion, a detailed report of audit findings and conclusions. The bill repeals certain limitations placed upon audits of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to add a provision to exempt any employee with coverage under a health care program administered by the Department of Defense, including the TRICARE program, or by the Veterans Administration, from classification as an eligible employee of an applicable large employer for purposes of the employer mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide such employees with minimum essential health care coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit any person from performing or attempting to perform an abortion except in conformity with this Act's requirements. Requires the physician to first determine the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child, or reasonably rely upon such a determination made by another physician, by making inquiries of the pregnant woman and performing such medical examinations and tests as a reasonably prudent physician would consider necessary. Prohibits the abortion from being performed if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater, except: (1) where necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, excluding psychological or emotional conditions; or (2) where the pregnancy is the result of rape, or the result of incest against a minor, if the rape has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency, or if the incest has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency or to a government agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse or neglect. Permits a physician to terminate a pregnancy under such an exception only in the manner that provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive, unless that manner would pose a greater risk than other available methods would pose of the death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, excluding psychological or emotional conditions, of the pregnant woman. Subjects individuals who violate this Act to a fine, imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. Bars prosecution of a woman upon whom an abortion is performed in violation of this Act for violating or conspiring to violate this Act. Defines "abortion" to mean the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device to intentionally kill an unborn child or to intentionally terminate a pregnancy with an intention other than: (1) after viability, to produce a live birth and preserve the life and health of the child; or (2) to remove a dead unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on medical device manufacturers and importers.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Firefighter Equipment Protection Act Codifies a national security exemption from emissions regulations for excess personal property of the Department of Defense (DOD) that is transferred under specified DOD property transfer programs to a firefighting agency in a state or to another state agency.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services under which a physician must certify that a patient may reasonably be expected to be discharged or transferred to a hospital within 96 hours after admission to the critical access hospital.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Save American Workers Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to change the definition of "full-time employee" for purposes of the employer mandate to provide minimum essential health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act from an employee who is employed on average at least 30 hours of service a week to an employee who is employed on average at least 40 hours of service a week.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Wildfire Disaster Funding Act This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require specified adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2015-FY2022 to accommodate appropriations for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of the Interior. If USDA or Interior determines that supplemental appropriations are necessary for wildfire suppression operations, the bill requires the relevant department to submit to Congress a request for the funding and a plan for obligating the funds. The bill also requires the President's budget to include the average costs for wildfire suppression over the previous 10 years.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit. It requires a majority roll vote of each chamber to increase revenue. It also requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Congress is authorized to waive these requirements when a declaration of war is in effect or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Tax Code Termination Act Terminates the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 after December 31, 2019, except for self-employment taxes, Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes, and railroad retirement taxes. Requires a two-thirds majority vote in Congress to change such termination date. Declares that any new federal tax system should be a simple and fair system that: (1) applies a low rate to all Americans, (2) provides tax relief for working Americans, (3) protects the rights of taxpayers and reduces tax collection abuses, (4) eliminates the bias against savings and investment, (5) promotes economic growth and job creation, and (6) does not penalize marriage or families. Requires that the new federal tax system be approved by Congress in its final form by July 4, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2014
Proudly Restoring Officers of Prior Enlistment Retirement Act or the PROPER Act - Reduces to four the number of years that previously enlisted commissioned officers who have performed a certain minimum number of years of military service to become eligible for retirement must have actively served in the rank of commissioned officer in order to retire in the officer rank instead of in their previous enlisted rank. (Currently, a requirement for 10 years of active service as a commissioned officer has been reduced temporarily to 8 years.) Makes the reduction to four years applicable during the period from January 1, 2014, to September 30, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Firefighter Equipment Protection Act of 2014 - Codifies a national security exemption from emissions regulations for excess personal property of the Department of Defense (DOD) that is transferred under specified DOD property transfer programs to a firefighting agency in a state or to another state agency.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
VA Credentialing and Privileging Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), within 30 days after a military health care provider requests privileges to provide hospital care or medical services in a VA medical facility, to approve such provider's credentials and grant such privileges, unless the Secretary can show cause for denying such privileges. Defines "military health care provider" as a member of the Armed Forces who is: (1) a health care provider; (2) serving on active duty in, or in the process of being separated from, the Armed Forces; and (3) privileged to work in a military treatment facility.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2014
Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality Act of 2014 or the STARS Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt seasonal employees from the definition of "full-time employee" for purposes of the employer mandate to provide employees with minimum essential health care coverage. Defines "seasonal employee" as an employee who is employed in a position for which the customary annual employment is not more than six months and which requires performing labor or services that are ordinarily performed at certain seasons or periods of the year.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2014
Northern Nevada Land Conservation and Economic Development Act - Pine Forest Range Recreation Enhancement Act - Designates approximately 26,000 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Humboldt County, Nevada, as wilderness to be known as the Pine Forest Range Wilderness. Releases other land in the county from study as a wilderness area. Authorizes land exchanges involving federal and non-federal lands in the county. Lyon County Economic Development and Conservation Act - Directs the Department of the Interior to convey to Yerington, Nevada, land in Lyon and Mineral Counties, Nevada. Designates approximately 47,449 acres of land managed by the Forest Service, as wilderness to be known as the Wovoka Wilderness. Directs Interior to convey approximately 1,329 acres of land to Carlin, Nevada. Directs Interior to convey specified land to Fernley, Nevada. Restoring Storey County Act - Directs the BLM to convey approximately 1,745 acres of land to Storey County, Nevada. Elko Motocross and Tribal Conveyance Act - Directs Interior to convey approximately 275 acres of BLM land to Elko County, Nevada, for: (1) a motocross, bicycle, off-highway vehicle, or stock car racing area; or (2) other public purpose consistent with the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. Holds approximately 373 acres of BLM land in trust for the Te-moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada. Makes such land part of the Tribe's reservation. Naval Air Station Fallon Housing and Safety Development Act - Directs Interior to transfer to the Navy approximately 400 acres of land adjacent to Naval Air Station Fallon in Churchill County, Nevada.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2014
Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force, for purposes of modernizing the C-130 fleet, to install alternative communication, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management program kits in lieu of C-130 avionics modernization program kits if the Secretary determines, on a case-by-case basis, that such alternative program is appropriate and notifies Congress of such determination. Requires the Secretary to ensure that all C-130 aircraft are capable of meeting applicable regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by January 1, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2014
Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014 - Prohibits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from: developing, finalizing, adopting, implementing, applying, administering, or enforcing the proposed rule entitled, "Definition of 'Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act," issued on April 21, 2014, or the proposed guidance entitled, "Guidance on Identifying Waters Protected By the Clean Water Act," dated February 17, 2012; or using the proposed rule or proposed guidance, any successor document, or any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance as the basis for any rulemaking or decision regarding the scope or enforcement of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act). Requires the Army Corps and the EPA to withdraw the interpretive rule entitled, "Notice of Availability Regarding the Exemption from Permitting Under Section 404(f)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act to Certain Agricultural Conservation Practices," issued on April 21, 2014. Requires the Army Corps and the EPA to consult with relevant state and local officials to develop recommendations for a regulatory proposal that would identify the scope of waters covered under the Clean Water Act and the scope of waters not covered.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2014
Amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to declare that any unaccompanied alien child who has not been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons or does not have a credible fear of persecution on returning to his or her country of nationality or of last habitual residence shall be: (1) placed in removal proceedings, (2) eligible for voluntary departure at no cost to the child, and (3) provided with access to counsel. (Currently such expedited removal requirements apply only to unaccompanied children from countries that are contiguous to the United States.) Directs the Secretary of State to negotiate agreements with any appropriate country regarding the repatriation of children.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2014
Charitable Automobile Red-Tape Simplification Act of 2014 or the CARS Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax deduction for charitable contributions, to modify the substantiation rules for donations of qualified vehicles (i.e., motor vehicles manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways and boats or airplanes) to require: (1) a statement with respect to such qualified vehicles and a good faith estimate of their value at the time of donation; and (2) a contemporaneous written acknowledgement of the contribution by the donee organization, with information about the donor and the qualified vehicle.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2014
Ozone Regulatory Delay and Extension of Assessment Length Act of 2014 or the ORDEAL Act of 2014 - Amends the Clean Air Act to lengthen from 5 years to 10 years the intervals at which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to review and revise air quality criteria and primary and secondary national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Eliminates the EPA's authority to review and revise criteria or promulgate new standards for ozone concentrations earlier or more frequently than required. Prohibits the EPA from reviewing and revising NAAQS for ozone concentrations before February 1, 2018. Requires the EPA to complete a thorough review of the standards and make revisions not later December 31, 2018. Lengthens from 5 years to 10 years the intervals at which an independent scientific review committee is required to review air quality criteria and NAAQS and recommend any new standards or revisions to existing criteria and standards. Delays the review by an independent scientific review committee of NAAQS for ozone concentrations until February 1, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2014
Regulatory Agency Demilitarization Act - Prohibits a federal agency from purchasing or using a firearm. Excludes the Departments of Defense (DOD), Justice (DOJ), and Homeland Security (DHS), the military departments, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the U.S. Capitol Police, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Directs the Comptroller General to submit a report to Congress annually that includes: information regarding each federal agency that has specialized units that receive special tactical or military-style training or use hard-plated body armor, shields, or helmets and that respond to high-risk situations that fall outside the capabilities of regular law enforcement officers; a description of each such unit; a description of the training and weapons of each such unit; the criteria for activating each such unit and how often each such unit was activated for each of the previous ten years; the annual cost of equipping and operating each such unit; and any other information that is relevant to understanding the usefulness and justification for the units. Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to repeal provisions authorizing law enforcement powers for an Inspector General, any Assistant Inspector General for Investigations under an Inspector General, and any special agent supervised by such an Assistant Inspector General.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2014
Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act of 2014 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require state licensure and a bid and surety bond of at least $50,000 for each area for bidding entities under the Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive acquisition program.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2014
Power Efficiency and Resiliency Act or the POWER Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a 30% energy tax credit for combined heat and power system property and increase the capacity limitations for such property, (2) extend until December 31, 2018, the placed-in-service deadline for such property, and (3) allow a 30% energy tax credit for waste heat to power property (property comprising a system generating electricity through the recovery of a qualified waste heat resource) placed in service before January 1, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2014
Coordinated Recovery Initiative for Babies Act of 2014 or the CRIB Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study the treatment and surveillance of, and available information concerning, neonatal abstinence syndrome (a group of problems occurring in a newborn who was exposed to addictive drugs while in the mother's womb). Requires the Secretary to establish an advisory panel to identify and compile best practices and to disseminate the practices, including through the public HHS website. Requires a review of the best practices at least every two years.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2014
Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2014 - Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to extend the rural community hospital demonstration program from five through 10 years.
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 2014
Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to: (1) expand the list of substances defined as "anabolic steroids"; (2) authorize the Attorney General to issue a temporary order adding a drug or other substance to the list of anabolic steroids; (3) impose enhanced criminal and civil penalties for possessing or trafficking in any anabolic steroid, or product containing an anabolic steroid, unless it bears a label clearly identifying the anabolic steroid by the nomenclature used by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; and (4) authorize the Attorney General to collect data and analyze products to determine whether they contain anabolic steroids and are properly labeled. Specifies that a substance shall not be considered to be a drug or hormonal substance that is considered to be an anabolic steroid if it is: (1) an herb or other botanical; (2) a concentrate, metabolite, or extract of, or a constituent isolated directly from, an herb or other botanical; (3) a combination of two or more such substances (i.e., botanical or concentrate, metabolite, or extract); or (4) a dietary ingredient for purposes of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Provides that any person claiming the benefit of an exemption or exception from being considered a drug or hormonal substance shall bear the burden of providing the appropriate evidence.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2014
Sage Grouse Protection and Conservation Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) or the Secretary of the Interior to give effect to a statewide conservation and management plan for the protection and recovery of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and the Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) from either California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. Requires the appropriate Secretary to: hold for at least 10 years actions to list the species as endangered or threatened, the enforcement of the listing, and the designation of critical habitat for the species in that state; withdraw any land use planning activities related to federal management of the species on National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land within the state; and amend federal land use plans with respect to that state to comply with a state plan. Applies these requirements to states that submit a plan or have a plan previously endorsed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Requires the appropriate Secretary to: (1) review statewide plans to determine if they are likely to conserve the species to the point at which the measures provided pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 are no longer necessary; (2) approve or endorse, or make comments on, statewide plans; and (3) provide states with information and make personnel available to help with plans. Prohibits any proposed action pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that occurs within one of those states from being denied or restricted solely on the basis of such sage-grouse if the action is consistent with a state plan that has been submitted to the appropriate Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2014
Roofing Efficiency Jobs Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify any qualified energy-efficient cool roof replacement property as 20-year property for depreciation purposes. Defines "qualified energy-efficient cool roof replacement property" as any roof system that: (1) is placed in service above conditioned or semiheated space on an eligible commercial building, (2) replaces an existing roof system, (3) is a low-slope roof, and (4) includes insulation meeting specified standards and a primary roof covering that has a cool roof surface. Requires the adjustment for depreciation to the earnings and profits of a real estate investment trust for any taxable year, in the case of such property, to be determined under the alternative depreciation method, except that the recovery period shall be 20 years.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2014
Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2014 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that: (1) a determination by the Attorney General that a registration to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance is "consistent with the public health and safety" means that it has a substantial relationship to such Act's purpose of preventing diversion and abuse of controlled substances; and (2) a finding of "imminent danger" by the Attorney General justifying immediate suspension of such a registration means that there is a significant and present risk of death or serious bodily harm that is more likely than not to occur in the absence of such a suspension. Requires the Attorney General, before revoking or suspending a registration under such Act, to: (1) provide the registrant notice of the grounds for doing so, and where such grounds consist of a legal violation, a specific citation to such law; (2) give the registrant an opportunity to submit a corrective action plan within a reasonable time period; and (3) determine whether, in light of the plan, revocation or suspension proceedings should be discontinued or deferred or additional changes need to be made in such plan. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to submit a report: (1) assessing how patient access to medications could be adversely impacted by federal and state law enforcement activities, and (2) identifying how collaboration between agencies and stakeholders can benefit patients and prevent diversion and abuse of controlled substances.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2014
Sensible Accounting to Value Energy Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop and issue guidelines for all federal mortgage agencies (including the Federal National Mortgage Association [Fannie Mae], the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation [Freddie Mac], and any affiliates) to implement enhanced loan eligibility requirements, for use when testing the ability of a loan applicant to repay a covered loan, that account for the expected energy cost savings for a loan applicant at a subject property. Directs the Secretary to issue guidelines for how covered agencies shall determine: (1) the maximum permitted loan amount based on the value of the property for all covered loans made on properties with an energy efficiency report, and (2) the estimated energy savings for properties with such a report. Amends the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 to require standards for the performance of real estate appraisals in connection with federally related transactions to require at a minimum that state certified and licensed appraisers have timely access, where practicable, to information from the property owner and the lender that may be relevant in developing an opinion of value regarding the energy- and water-saving improvements or features of a property. Applies the requirement of state certified appraisers to transactions involving any real property on which the appraiser makes adjustments using an energy efficiency report. Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory group on the implementation of the enhanced energy efficiency underwriting criteria established in this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2014
Marks the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education , which signaled the end of state-sanctioned segregation of schools in the United States, so that it is unlawful to deny access to public facilities on the basis of race.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2014
Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 - Amends the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (TPA) to revise qualifications requirements for members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Travel Promotion. Revises requirements for the Corporation's annual report to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to require a description of and rationales for: (1) the Corporation's efforts to focus on specific countries and populations, and (2) its combination of media channels employed in meeting the promotional objectives of its marketing campaign. Directs the Corporation and the Secretary (or their designees) to meet biannually to review procedures to determine the fair market value of goods and services received by the Corporation from non-federal sources. Reduces from 80% to 75% the percentage of the fair market value of those goods and services the Corporation may receive from non-federal sources each fiscal year, increasing from 20% to 25% the federal matching rate. Includes U.S. territories among the states and the District of Columbia whose benefit the Corporation's international travel promotion plan must ensure. Extends the TPA and the Corporation through FY2020. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend through FY2020 also the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to charge a fee for use of the electronic travel authorization system to determine, in advance, an alien's eligibility to travel to the United States. Amends the TPA to require the Corporation to establish performance metrics to: (1) measure the impact of its marketing efforts, and (2) demonstrate any cost or benefit to the U.S. economy. Requires the Corporation to report to Congress actions it has taken in response to any recommendations the Government Accountability Office (GAO) might make to it. Requires the Corporation to: (1) establish a competitive procurement process, and (2) certify in its annual report to Congress that any contracts it has entered into were in compliance with that process.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2014
Sage-Grouse and Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to extend to five years the deadlines for determining whether there is substantial evidence in support of a petition to add or remove a species from the list of endangered or threatened species and the petition is warranted. Prohibits a petition from being considered for 10 years after either a determination is made that the petition is not warranted or a regulation to list a species is withdrawn. Requires the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce as appropriate (the Secretary) to make publicly available a cost-benefit analysis of listing the species when a petition is found to be warranted. Prohibits the Secretary from adding to the list a species in a state in which the majority of lands are managed by the federal government, unless specified information is provided to the state. Requires conservation measures to be conducted on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and National Forest System lands to address the habitat and viability of: (1) endangered or threatened species, and (2) other species to alleviate the need to list a species under such Act. Establishes a program to sell certain public land parcels to generate revenues for such measures. Requires activities on BLM or forest land parcels of 10,000 acres or less and that are related to threats to protected species to be: (1) categorically excluded from the requirements relating to environmental assessments or environmental impact statements under the National Environmental Policy Act, and (2) exempt from the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 and related requirements. Requires the Secretary to use the best scientific and economic data available in conducting the five-year reviews of the status of listed species. Deems a designation of critical habitat that restricts the uses of land to be a regulatory taking of property.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2014
Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014 - States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) prevent Hezbollah's global logistics and financial network from operating in order to curtail funding of its domestic and international activities; and (2) utilize diplomatic, legislative, and executive avenues to combat Hezbollah's criminal activities in order to block that organization's ability to fund its global terrorist activities. Directs the President to report to Congress: (1) a list of satellite, broadcast, or other providers that knowingly transmit the content of al-Manar TV; and (2) the identity of those providers that have or have not been sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13224. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly: (1) facilitates the activities of Hezbollah or its agents, instrumentalities, affiliates, or successors; (2) facilitates the activities of a person acting on behalf of or owned or controlled by an agent, instrumentality, affiliate, or successor; (3) engages in money laundering to carry out such an activity; (4) facilitates a significant transaction or provides significant financial services to carry out such an activity, including services that involve a transaction of gold, silver, platinum, or other precious metals; or (5) facilitates any of these activities, conspires to facilitate or participate in such an activity, or is owned or controlled by a foreign financial institution that knowingly engages in such an activity. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe reporting, information sharing, and due diligence requirements for domestic financial institutions that maintain a correspondent account or payable-through account in the United States for a foreign financial institution. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such requirements if in the U.S. national security interests, and with congressional notification. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to identify to Congress every 180 days each foreign central bank that carries out an activity prohibited under this Act. Sets forth penalty requirements for specified violations under this Act. Directs the President to designate Hezbollah as: (1) a significant foreign narcotics trafficker if Hezbollah meets meets the criteria set forth under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, and (2) a significant transnational criminal organization if Hezbollah meets the criteria set forth under specified executive orders and statutes. Requires the President to report to Congress which of these criteria the President determines that Hezbollah has not met, if it does not. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress regarding Hezbollah's involvement in the trade in rough diamonds outside of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme. Declares that nothing in this Act shall apply to authorized U.S. intelligence activities. States that any requirement of this Act shall cease to be in effect 30 days after the President certifies to Congress that Hezbollah: (1) is no longer designated as a foreign terrorist organization; (2) is no longer listed in the Annex to Executive Order 13224 (blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit or support terrorism); and (3) poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2014
Repeals the National Technical Information Act of 1988, effective one year after the enactment of this Act (thus abolishes the National Technical Information Service [NTIS]). Directs: (1) the Secretary of Commerce, the Archivist of the United States, the Comptroller General (GAO), and the Commissioner of Social Security to consult with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to determine if any NTIS function is critical to the U.S. economy; (2) the Comptroller General to determine which of any such critical functions are not being carried out by any other agency or instrumentality of the federal government; and (3) the Secretary of Commerce, prior to the effective date of this Act, to submit to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Finance a written certification that all NTIS operations have been terminated.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2014
Veterans Information Security Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) carry out certain information security activities, (2) ensure that officials and staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) possess specified qualifications in such areas, and (3) coordinate the staffing of related information technology and security offices. Requires the Secretary to ensure that: (1) the Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, the head of the Office of Information Security (OIS), and relevant field staff possess certain levels of information technology education, certifications, and experience; (2) Office of Information and Technology (OIT) staff are assigned to the OIS; and (3) subordinate OIT offices maintain appropriate information security functions. Directs the Secretary to ensure that subordinate OIT offices maintain functions to: (1) integrate the VA's security architecture into the VA's overall enterprise architecture strategy, (2) restrict the development of new data warehouses and data marts holding sensitive personal information of veterans, and (3) reduce the number of data marts holding such personal information. Defines: (1) "data mart" as a subset of a data warehouse that contains information for a specific entity of an organization rather than the entire organization, and (2) "data warehouse" as a collection of data designed to support management decision making that contains a wide variety of data presenting a coherent picture of business conditions for an entire organization at a single point in time and whose development includes systems to extract data from operating systems plus installation of a warehouse database system that provides managers flexible access to the data. Requires the Secretary to safeguard VA network infrastructure, computers, and servers. Directs the Secretary to protect the confidentiality of sensitive personal information of veterans by: (1) providing upgrades or phaseouts of outdated or unsupported operating systems to protect against harmful viruses and malicious software, and (2) securing VA web applications and the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (commonly referred to as the "Vista system," which allows for an integrated inpatient and outpatient electronic health record for patients and provides administrative tools to VA employees). Directs the Secretary to submit certifications to Congress regarding the VA's compliance with information security requirements, including actions required by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Requires the Secretary to submit monthly reports to Congress regarding security vulnerabilities discovered after performing regular scans of VA computers and servers.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2014
Alzheimer's Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends the National Alzheimer's Project Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for each fiscal year through FY2025, to submit to the President for review and transmittal to Congress, after reasonable opportunity for comment (but without change) by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, an annual budget estimate (including regarding personnel needs) for the NIH initiatives under the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2014
Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2014 - Amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (the Act) to give the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 60 days to act before the request of an Indian tribe for a waiver of certain local cooperation, housing plan, environmental review, or development cost requirements is deemed approved under the program providing tribes with block grants for affordable and self-determined housing activities. Deems an Indian tribe that is receiving a block grant for an affordable housing project under the Act and one or more other sources of federal funding for such project to have satisfied any environmental review requirements that accompany that funding if the tribe has assumed environmental review responsibilities under the Act and is in compliance with those review requirements. Requires the Secretary to waive environmental review requirements if inadvertent error prevents satisfaction of such requirements and certain other conditions are met. Makes low-income training and employment requirements under the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 inapplicable to tribal housing activities under the Act. Allows the use of Indian reserve accounts for affordable housing activities, not just the administration and planning of those activities. Makes maximum rent and homebuyer payment provisions for housing assisted under the Act inapplicable if the grant recipient has a written policy that includes maximum rent and homebuyer payment provisions. Treats rental housing as affordable housing if it is made available only to a current rental family for purchase as a homebuyer or lease-purchase unit and that family was a low-income family at the time of their initial occupancy of the unit. Makes the requirement that housing assisted under the Act remain affordable throughout the remaining life of the property inapplicable to improvements of a privately owned home if the cost of those improvements do not exceed 10% of the maximum total development cost for such home. Requires the owner or manager of rental housing assisted under the Act and one or more other federal funding sources to only use leases that require a lease termination notice period. Allows recipients of funding under the Act to use funding from the Indian Health Service (IHS) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the construction of sanitation facilities for housing construction and renovation projects funded under the Act. Reauthorizes appropriations for the block grant program through FY2018. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize the Secretary to implement a supportive housing and rental assistance program, in conjunction with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), for the benefit of Native American veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Amends the Act to extend, from 50 years to 99 years, the limit on the lease of trust or Indian restricted lands for housing purposes. Prohibits such limit from being construed to affect any authority to lease those lands that is conferred pursuant to any law whether enacted before, on, or after the enactment of such Act. Authorizes the Secretary to use such sums as may be necessary from the block grant program's appropriations to assist a national organization to provide training and technical assistance to Indian housing authorities and tribally designated housing entities. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to authorize the Secretary to guarantee Indian housing loans through FY2018. Authorizes appropriations for such guarantees. Sets the maximum aggregate outstanding principal amount for such loans. Amends the American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000 to require the Lands Title Report Commission to be appointed no later than 90 days after this Act's enactment, without the current condition that sums be appropriated for that purpose in advance. Amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2008 to prohibit the use of funds under that Act for the benefit of the Cherokee Nation unless the Order issued on September 21, 2011, by the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia remains in effect or there is a settlement agreement which ends litigation among the adverse parties. Amends the Act to establish a demonstration program that requires a participating Indian tribe to select an investor partner and, with that partner, to develop and implement a Secretary-approved plan to address the tribe's housing needs. Requires each participating tribe to obtain assistance from a qualified entity in assessing its housing needs. Makes the block grant amounts that would otherwise have been allocated to a participating tribe under the Act available under the demonstration program to: (1) provide investor partners or other investors with a full return on their investment in the tribe's housing needs, (2) cover a tribe's administrative costs, and (3) cover housing infrastructure costs associated with providing affordable housing for the tribe.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2014
21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, to make publicly available on the Internet the best scientific and commercial data available that are the basis for the determination of whether a species is an endangered species or a threatened species, including each proposed regulation for the listing of a species.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2014
Endangered Species Litigation Reasonableness Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to replace the current standard for awarding court costs, including attorney fees, in citizen suits with the federal judicial code standard for awarding costs to a prevailing party.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2014
State, Tribal, and Local Species Transparency and Recovery Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, to provide to affected states all data that is used as the basis of a determination on whether a species is an endangered species or a threatened species before making a determination. Requires the appropriate Secretary to use data submitted by a state, tribal, or county government in making such a determination.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2014
Endangered Species Recovery Transparency Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) to require the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) submit an annual report detailing federal expenditures for civil actions brought under the ESA containing claims that are based on the actions of the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service, or the National Marine Fisheries Service; and (2) make available online a searchable database of such information.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2014
Wakefield Act of 2014 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program through FY2019.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2014
Bureau of Land Management Withdrawn Military Lands Efficiency and Savings Act - Amends the Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1999 to declare that the withdrawal and reservation of certain lands and interests concerning the Naval Air Station Fallon Ranges and the Nellis Air Force Range in Nevada, the Fort Greely East and West Training Ranges and the Yukon Training Range of Fort Wainright in Alaska, and the McGregor Range of Fort Bliss in New Mexico shall not terminate except by an election and a determination of the Secretary of the military department concerned or until the Secretary of the Interior can permanently transfer administrative jurisdiction of the withdrawn and reserved lands to that Secretary. (Currently the withdrawal and reservation of such lands must terminate, except in certain circumstances, 25 years after November 6, 2001.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2014
Forest Access in Rural Communities Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), through the Forest Service, to cease all implementation and enforcement of the travel management rule for units of the National Forest System derived from the public domain to the extent that it will, or can reasonably be expected to, alter public access to such lands. Requires the Secretary, as a condition on the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for a proposed access travel management action, to consult with affected counties for the purpose of incorporating their needs, uses, and input. Bars the Secretary from implementing an access travel management action unless and until the Secretary: (1) complies with the consultation requirement imposed by this Act, and (2) obtains the concurrence of each affected county for the implementation of such action.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2014
Stabilizing FHA Loan Limit Calculations Act of 2014 - Amends the National Housing Act, with respect to the mortgage insurance eligibility of a 1-family or a 2-, 3-, or 4-family residence, to revise the formula for determining the median house price in the larger formula for determining the principal obligation of a mortgage. Declares that, for 2014 and each succeeding year, the median house price for any size residence for an area shall be considered to be the greatest median house price for such size residence for that area used by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to determine the dollar amount limitation on the principal obligation for 2013, or for any succeeding year before the assignment of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) case number for the mortgage involved. Allows the Secretary, however, to increase the maximum dollar limitation on the principal obligation of an eligible mortgage otherwise in effect for a particular size or sizes of residence in any geographic area smaller than an area for which dollar amount limitations are ordinarily determined, if a higher maximum dollar amount limitation is warranted by higher median home prices in that smaller area.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2014
Special Inspector General for Monitoring the ACA Act of 2014 or the SIGMA Act of 2014 - Establishes the Office of the Special Inspector General for Monitoring the Affordable Care Act to conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations of the implementation and administration of programs and activities established under, and payment system changes made by, the Affordable Care Act (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010). Requires the Special Inspector General to be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Requires the Special Inspector General to appoint an Assistant Inspector General for Auditing and an Assistant Inspector General for Investigations. Places the Special Inspector General under the supervision of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), but prohibits federal agencies involved in implementing or administering the Affordable Care Act from preventing or prohibiting the Special Inspector General from initiating, carrying out, or completing any audit or investigation.
![Official portrait of Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/a000369_200.jpg)