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![Official portrait of Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/k000376_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
2,569 records where Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2015
Ax the Tax on Middle Class Americans' Health Plans Act This bill repeals, effective for taxable years beginning after 2017, the excise tax on the excess benefit portion of high-cost employer-sponsored health care plans (known as Cadillac plans). The reporting requirement for such plans is also repealed for calendar years beginning after 2014.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2015
Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality Act of 2015 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 · 11 February 2015
Health Exchange Security and Transparency Act of 2015 Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to notify an individual within two business days after discovery of any breach of security of any system maintained by a health care exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which is known to have resulted in the theft or unlawful access of the individual's personally identifiable information.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2015
Energy Production Fairness Act This bill equalizes the excise tax on liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas by establishing a rate of 18.3 cents per energy equivalent of a gallon of gasoline for liquefied petroleum gas and 24.3 cents per energy equivalent of a gallon of diesel for liquefied natural gas.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2015
Huntington's Disease Parity Act of 2015 Directs the Commissioner of Social Security, for purposes of determining cognitive, behavioral, and physical disability under titles II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act (SSAct), to amend specified Listings of Impairments by providing medical and evaluation criteria for Huntington's Disease. Amends SSAct title II to waive the 24-month waiting period for coverage under the program under SSAct title XVIII (Medicare) for individuals diagnosed with Huntington's Disease.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2015
Medicare Residential Care Coordination Act of 2015 Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and implement a demonstration project under titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to evaluate the use of capitated payments made to eligible continuing care retirement communities for residential care coordination programs.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2015
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with respect to air ambulance services furnished during 2017 or any subsequent year, to reduce the mandatory percentage increase (inflation adjustment) for payments under the fee schedule by 2.0% for any supplier or provider that fails to submit to the Secretary specified data. The Secretary is required to select at least two quality measures with respect to which such providers and suppliers may voluntarily submit such data. The Government Accountability Office is required to report to Congress on all such data, together with a recommendation on the adequate amount of Medicare reimbursement to providers and suppliers that would reflect their operational costs and preserve access to critical air medical services. The Secretary is required, in the case of air ambulance services furnished during calendar 2016 through 2019 to make a percentage increase in the base rate of the fee schedule: (1) by 20% during 2016, and (2) by 5% during 2017-2019.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2015
Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem a hospital or an emergency department and a physician or physician group of a hospital or emergency department to be an employee of the Public Health Service with liability protection provided by the United States for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing emergency and post-stabilization services on or after January 1, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2015
Expresses support for the designation of National Pediatric Bone Cancer Awareness Day. Commends: (1) children battling bone cancer, and their families and friends, for their courage and perseverance; (2) organizations like the Triumph Over Kid Cancer Foundation that raise awareness and encourage the accurate and early diagnosis of pediatric bone cancer; and (3) the researchers, scientists, and health care providers who are dedicated to treating and finding a cure for pediatric bone cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2015
Life at Conception Act Declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Prohibits this Act from being construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2015
Fairness in Ambulance Reimbursement Act of 2015 This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to suspend through December 31, 2015, implementation of the reclassification of rural to urban zip codes for payments under the fee schedule for ambulance services, as contained in the final rule published in the Federal Register by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on November 13, 2014. The Secretary is required to ensure that claims for ambulance services furnished on or after July 1, 2015, are paid according to the classification of zip codes applied the day before the effective date of that final rule. The Secretary must reclassify rural to urban zip codes for payment for ambulance services furnished on or after January 1, 2016, taking into account specified revised geographic delineations of the Office of Management and Budget. Payments for ambulance services (other than air ambulance services) furnished during 2016 must be adjusted according to a certain formula to achieve budget-neutral results.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2015
Access to Professional Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to exclude remuneration paid for licensed independent insurance producers from administrative costs for purposes of calculating the medical-loss ratio of a health insurance plan. Defines "independent insurance producer" to mean an insurance agent or broker, insurance consultant, benefit specialist, limited insurance representative, and any other person required to be licensed under state law to sell, solicit, negotiate, service, effect, procure, renew, or bind policies of insurance coverage or offer advice, counsel, opinions, or services related to insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2015
Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2015 This bill amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act by directing the Department of Energy's Office of Energy and Renewable Energy to establish a clearinghouse for disseminating information regarding available programs and financing mechanisms that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, distributed generation, and energy retrofitting projects for schools. The office must: (1) consult with appropriate agencies to develop a list of programs and financing mechanisms that are, or may be, used for the projects; and (2) coordinate with appropriate agencies to develop a collaborative education and outreach effort to streamline communications and promote the programs and financing mechanisms.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2015
North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act This bill amends the National Trails System Act to revise the authorized route of the North Country National Scenic Trail to extend it to the Appalachian Trail in Vermont and to modify the route in northeastern Minnesota.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2015
Restaurant and Retail Jobs and Growth Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the 15-year recovery period for qualified leasehold improvement property, qualified restaurant property, and qualified retail improvement property for purposes of the tax deduction for depreciation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2015
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit transporting a minor child across a state line to obtain an abortion (deems such transporting to be a de facto abridgment of the right of a parent under any law in the minor’s state of residence that requires parental involvement in the minor’s abortion decision). Makes an exception for an abortion necessary to save the life of the minor. Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution or civil action under this Act that a defendant: (1) reasonably believed that before the minor obtained the abortion, the required parental consent or notification or judicial authorization took place; or (2) was presented with documentation showing that a court waived parental notification requirements or authorized the minor's abortion. Defines "abortion" to mean the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device: (1) to intentionally kill the unborn child of a woman known to be pregnant; or (2) to intentionally prematurely terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth or of preserving the life or health of the child after live birth, or to remove a dead unborn child. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to one year on a physician who performs or induces an abortion on an out-of-state minor in violation of parental notification requirements. Requires such physician to give 24-hour actual or constructive notice to a parent of the minor seeking an abortion, subject to certain exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2015
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the caps on Medicare outpatient rehabilitation physical therapy services and speech-language pathology services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Email Privacy Act Amends the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 to prohibit a provider of remote computing service or electronic communication service to the public from knowingly divulging to a governmental entity the contents of any communication that is in electronic storage or otherwise maintained by the provider, subject to exceptions. Revises provisions under which the government may require a provider to disclose the contents of such communications. Eliminates the different requirements applicable under current law depending on whether such communications were: (1) stored for fewer than, or more than, 180 days by an electronic communication service; or (2) held by an electronic communication service as opposed to a remote computing service. Requires the government to obtain a warrant from a court before requiring providers to disclose the content of such communications regardless of how long the communication has been held in electronic storage by an electronic communication service or whether the information is sought from an electronic communication service or a remote computing service Requires a law enforcement agency, within 10 days after receiving the contents of a customer's communication, or a governmental entity, within 3 days, to provide a customer whose communications were disclosed by the provider a copy of the warrant and a notice that such information was requested by, and supplied to, the government entity. Allows the government to request delays of such notifications. Prohibits disclosure requirements that apply to providers from being construed to limit the government's authority to use an administrative or civil discovery subpoena to require: (1) an originator or recipient of an electronic communication to disclose the contents of such communication, or (2) an entity that provides electronic communication services to its employees or agents to disclose the contents of an electronic communication to or from such employee or agent if the communication is on an electronic communications system owned or operated by the entity. Allows the government to apply for an order directing a provider, for a specified period, to refrain from notifying any other person that the provider has been required to disclose communications or records. Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress regarding disclosures of customer communications and records under provisions: (1) as in effect before the enactment of this Act, and (2) as amended by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to repeal authority to restrict the export of: (1) coal, petroleum products, natural gas, or petrochemical feedstocks; and (2) supplies of materials or equipment necessary to maintain or further exploration, production, refining, or transportation of energy supplies, or for the construction or maintenance of energy facilities within the United States. Prohibits any federal official from imposing or enforcing any restriction on the export of crude oil. Requires the Secretary of Energy to study and make recommendations on the appropriate size, composition, and purpose of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Prevent Targeting at the IRS Act Amends the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 to expand existing grounds for termination of the employment of an Internal Revenue Service employee to include performing, delaying, or failing to perform (or threatening to perform, delay, or fail to perform) any official action (including any audit) with respect to a taxpayer for purpose of extracting personal gain or benefit or for a political purpose.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2015 Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to replace the current windfall elimination provision (WEP) (that reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also have pension benefits from employment not covered by Social Security) for individuals who: (1) become eligible for old-age insurance benefits after 2016 or would attain age 62 after 2016 and become eligible for disability insurance benefits after 2016, (2) subsequently become entitled to such benefits, and (3) have earnings derived from noncovered service performed after 1977. Establishes a new formula for the treatment of noncovered earnings in determining Social Security benefits. Prescribes a second formula to modify the WEP for current beneficiaries. Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to recover overpayments from certain individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Government Employee Accountability Act Sets forth guidelines for placing career employees of the Senior Executive Service (SES) on investigative leave. Defines "investigative leave" as a temporary absence without duty for disciplinary reasons, of a period not greater than 90 days. Authorizes a federal agency to: (1) place an SES employee on investigative leave, without loss of pay and without charge to annual or sick leave, only for misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or misappropriation of funds; (2) place such employee on leave without pay if such employee's conduct is flagrant and such employee intentionally engaged in such conduct; or (3) remove such employee if such employee acted in a manner that endangers the interest of the agency mission and the removal is deemed necessary or advisable in the interests of the United States. Requires an agency head to periodically review the investigation into the conduct of an SES employee placed on investigative leave and take certain actions with respect to such employee at the end of a period of investigative leave, including removal, suspension without pay, or reinstatement to duty. Grants an employee placed on investigative leave certain rights, including: (1) advance written notice of, and the right to answer, charges; (2) the right to be represented by an attorney; and (3) the right to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Includes misappropriation of funds as a ground in suspending or reinstating an SES employee or placing such employee in another civil service position.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2015 Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for railroad track maintenance, to: (1) expand the types of maintenance expenditures eligible for such credit, and (2) extend such credit through 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2015
Special Needs Trust Fairness Act of 2015 Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act with respect to the treatment of revocable trusts for the benefit of an individual for purposes of meeting income requirements for Medicaid coverage. Extends the supplemental needs trust exemption from treatment of a trust as resources available to the individual to supplemental needs trusts for Medicaid beneficiaries established by those beneficiaries.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2015
Default Prevention Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to borrow to pay the principal and interest on certain obligations if the debt of the United States exceeds the statutory limit. If the debt limit is exceeded, Treasury is required to issue obligations solely for the payment of the principal and interest on debt held by the public or the Social Security trust funds. The bill prohibits Treasury from using obligations issued under this Act to compensate Members of Congress. If Treasury exercises authority provided by this Act, a report must be submitted to Congress including an accounting of: (1) the principal on mature obligations and interest that is due or accrued, and (2) obligations issued under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Fighting Hunger Incentive Act of 2015 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax deduction for charitable contributions of food inventory, (2) increase from 10% to 15% of taxpayer aggregate net income the amount of deductible food inventory contributions which a taxpayer may make in any taxable year (15% of the taxable income of C corporations), and (3) set forth rules for determining the basis of contributed food for taxpayers other than C corporations and the fair market value of such food.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to make permanent the Medicare-dependent, small rural subsection (d) hospital program and increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program. (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2015 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax deduction for charitable contributions by individuals and corporations of real property interests for conservation purposes, and (2) allow Native Corporations an increased tax deduction for donations of conservation easements related to lands conveyed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015 Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt 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 · 2 February 2015
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Protection Act This bill prohibits the President from modifying, terminating, abandoning, or transferring the lease with the government of Cuba by which the United States acquired 45 square miles of land and waters that currently contain Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, unless: (1) the President notifies Congress of the proposed lease change, and (2) afterwards Congress enacts a law authorizing the change.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2015
Equitable Access to Care and Health Act or the EACH Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the religious conscience exemption under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to exempt individuals who rely solely on a religious method of healing and for whom the acceptance of medical health services would be inconsistent with their religious beliefs from the requirement to purchase and maintain minimum essential health care coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act Requires that the website of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) include a program inventory that identifies each program of the federal government, which shall include: (1) any activity that is commonly referred to as a program; (2) any activity specifically created by law, or referenced in law, as a program; (3) each program that has an application process; (4) each program for which financial awards are made on a competitive basis; and (5) any activity identified as a program activity in a budget request. Requires, for each program identified in such program inventory: (1) an identification of the specific statute that authorizes the program and any program regulations; (2) an estimate of the number of individuals served by any program that provides grants or financial assistance and the beneficiaries who received financial assistance under the program; (3) an estimate of the number of full-time employees who administer the program and the number of such employees whose salary is paid, in full or part, by the federal government; (4) links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by the agency, an Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office, released during the preceding five years; and (5) financial information for each program required to be reported under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. Requires the OMB Director to issue guidance to assist agencies in identifying how the program activities used in budget or appropriations accounts correspond with programs identified in the program inventory required by this Act. Authorizes the Director to issue guidance to agencies on how to more closely align programs in the program inventory for purposes of the President's annual budget submission to Congress. Requires the OMB Director to: (1) publish on the OMB website the total amount of undisbursed grant funding remaining in grant accounts with expired availability, and (2) prescribe regulations or other guidance to implement this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Reform Exports and Expand the American Economy Act This bill amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to establish an Office of Ethics, headed by a Chief Ethics Officer, in the Export-Import Bank of the United States. The review of Bank fraud controls by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall now be quadrennial instead of once only, and followed by reports to Congress. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall report to Congress: (1) semiannually on the terms and conditions (including interest rates, maturities, and credit standards) that private financial institutions apply in providing export finance; and (2) annually on the steps the Bank has taken to adjust the pricing of products offered, and the credit standards used, to avoid crowding out private export finance. The Bank's Board of Directors must include in their annual report to Congress any recommendations about countries with whom and in which it should not be doing business. The GAO must conduct annual audits of the Bank's loan, guarantee, insurance, and credit programs. The Chief Ethics Officer shall draft a Code of Ethics prescribing strict and definite standards of official conduct for all Bank directors, officers, and employees, including conflict-of-interest prohibitions. The Bank shall study the extent to which the products it offers are available and used by companies that export services and related goods. The Bank must also implement policies to accept: (1) electronic documents whenever possible, including copies of bills of lading, certifications, and compliance documents; and (2) electronic payments in all of its programs. If the Bank issues any report to Congress or any congressional committee containing accounting information that is not prepared using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAPs), the Bank must issue a second report with the same accounting information prepared using GAAPs. The Bank is made lender of last resort to privately owned foreign applicants (other than financial institutions), which must first try to obtain competitive financing for the transaction in question without support from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation or the Small Business Administration. Bank directors who are neither Chairman nor Vice Chairman of the Board shall constitute the Board's Audit Committee. The President of the United States (U.S. President) must report to specified congressional committees on Bank programs that may be fully or partially privatized. The Bank's Inspector General is directed to audit the Bank's portfolio risk management procedures, including its implementation of the duties assigned to the Chief Risk Officer (whose position is established by this Act). The Bank must retain at least 30% of total net earnings as a provision for possible losses. Two terms is made the term limit for any Bank President. The U.S. President must propose to Congress a strategy to pursue with other major exporting countries, over a 10-year period, elimination of all subsidized export-financing programs, tied aid, export credits, and all other forms of government-supported export subsidies. This shall also involve negotiations specifically with countries that are not members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to bring them into a multilateral agreement establishing rules and limitations on officially supported export credits. $130 billion is made the absolute limit, regardless of fiscal year, for the aggregate amount of outstanding Bank loans, guarantees, and insurance. The general duties of the Bank's Chief Risk Officer are specified. The Bank is required to develop and implement policies that incentivize transactions in which third parties, especially private sector lenders and exporters, share risks of loss with the Bank. The Bank is reauthorized and extended through FY2019, as well as its authority to finance export sales of nonlethal defense articles or services whose primary end (dual) use will be for civilian purposes. The Bank is directed to: study its programs, products, and policies supporting exports from small business concerns and medium-sized enterprises in the United States, including those involving the implementation of the export credit insurance program, delegated lending authority, and direct Bank loans; and determine the extent to which its policies adequately meet the needs of small business concerns and medium-sized enterprises in obtaining Bank financing to support jobs in the United States through exports. The denial of funding is continued through FY2019 with respect to the Bank's Supplemental Guidelines for High Carbon Intensity Projects. The figure of $10 million is increased to $25 million, subject to annual adjustments for inflation, in cases where: the Bank seeks to ensure that U.S. insurance companies are accorded a fair and open competitive opportunity to provide insurance for transactions involving a long-term loan or guarantee of this minimum amount, Bank procedures for public disclosure of environmental assessments and mandatory supplemental environmental reports apply to any transaction involving a project for which long-term support from the Bank is requested in at least this amount, or it is the sense of Congress that Bank policies and procedures should not prohibit small business specialists from approving applications for working capital loans, guarantees, and insurance in support of exports which have a value less than this amount.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Don't Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income, for income tax purposes, federal public safety officer death benefits or amounts paid under a state program to surviving dependents of a public safety officer who died as the direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
This bill repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Provisions of law amended by that Act are restored. This bill repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Provisions of law amended by that Act's health care provisions are restored. Specified committees of the House of Representatives must report legislation within each committee's jurisdiction with provisions that: foster economic growth and private sector job creation; lower health care premiums; preserve a patient's ability to keep their health plan; provide people with preexisting conditions access to affordable health coverage; reform the medical liability system to reduce unnecessary health care spending; increase the number of insured Americans; protect the doctor-patient relationship; provide states greater flexibility to administer Medicaid programs; expand incentives to encourage personal responsibility for health care coverage and costs; prohibit taxpayer funding of abortions and provide conscience protections for health care providers; eliminate duplicative government programs and wasteful spending; or do not accelerate the insolvency of entitlement programs or increase the tax burden on Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
National Heritage Area Act of 2015 Establishes a system of National Heritage Areas through which the Department of the Interior may provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of the National Heritage Areas. Specifies the criteria that Interior shall apply to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating proposed National Heritage Areas. States that designation of a National Heritage Area shall be by federal statute and contingent on the prior completion of a management plan and an affirmative determination by Interior that the area meets such criteria. Sets forth requirements for National Heritage Area management plans.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Medicare Home Infusion Site of Care Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize Medicare coverage of home infusion therapy and home infusion drugs. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement the Medicare home infusion therapy benefit in a manner that ensures that: (1) Medicare beneficiaries have timely and appropriate access to infusion therapy in their homes, and (2) there is rapid and seamless coordination between drug coverage under Medicare part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) and home infusion therapy services coverage under Medicare part B (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) to avoid the filing of duplicative or otherwise improper claims.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover pharmacist services.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Medicare Beneficiary Preservation of Choice Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to repeal the allowance for disenrollment, between January 1 and March 15 of each year, only from an MedicareAdvantage plan to elect enrollment in the original Medicare fee-for-service program. Restores the option under previous law to elect to change from a MedicareAdvantage to the original Medicare fee-for-service plan, or from the original Medicare fee-for-service to a MedicareAdvantage plan, once a year during the first three months.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Cider Industry Deserves Equal Regulation Act or the CIDER Act Amends the Internal Revenue to revise the definition of "hard cider," for purposes of the excise tax on distilled spirits, wines, and beer, to mean any wine: (1) the carbonation level of which does not exceed 6.4 grams per liter; (2) which is derived primarily from apples, apple juice concentrate and water, pears, or pear juice concentrate and water; (3) which contains no fruit product or fruit flavoring other than apple or pear; and (4) which contains at least one-half of 1% and less than 8.5% alcohol by volume.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Pro Football Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5-gold coins, 400,000 $1-silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins emblematic of the game of professional football. Requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to help finance the expansion and renovation of Pro Football Hall of Fame facilities. Directs the Secretary to ensure that: (1) minting and issuing such coins will not result in any net cost to the government, and (2) no proceeds are disbursed until the total cost of designing and issuing such coins is recovered by the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Amy and Vicky Child Pornography Victim Restitution Improvement Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to expand the definition of "full amount of the victim's losses" for purposes of provisions governing mandatory restitution of victims of offenses involving sexual exploitation and other abuse of children to include medical services, physical and occupational therapy or rehabilitation, and lost income for the victim's lifetime, as well as any losses suffered by the victim from any sexual act or conduct in preparation for or during the production of child pornography depicting the victim involved in the offense. Sets forth guidelines for determining restitution where the victim of of a specified child pornography offense was harmed by one defendant (requiring restitution for not less than the full amount of the victim's losses) or by more than one defendant (requiring restitution for not more than the full amount of the victim's losses and not less than specified minimum amounts for certain offenses). Requires joint and several liability where there are multiple defendants and allows each defendant who is ordered to pay restitution and who has made full payment to the victim equal to or exceeding the specified minimum amount to recover contribution from any other defendant ordered to pay. Sets forth contribution claim procedures. Requires the Attorney General to report to Congress within one year after enactment of this Act on any progress of the Department of Justice in obtaining restitution for victims of such offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2015 This bill 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). The Army Corps and the EPA must 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. The Army Corps and the EPA are required 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 · 28 January 2015
Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act of 2015 Prohibits the Secretary of the Army from promulgating or enforcing any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm at a water resources development project administered by the Chief of Engineers if: (1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm, and (2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the state in which the project is located.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2015
Veterans Affairs Retaliation Prevention Act of 2015 Authorizes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee to file a whistleblower complaint with his or her immediate supervisor. Gives that supervisor two business days to determine and notify the employee as to whether there is a reasonable likelihood that the complaint discloses a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. Requires that supervisor to include in the employee notification specific actions that the supervisor will take to address a complaint deemed reasonably valid. Authorizes an employee whose supervisor fails to make a timely determination regarding the complaint or address the complaint to the employee's satisfaction, to file such complaint with the next-level supervisor, who shall make a determination regarding the complaint in accordance with the procedures this Act requires the immediate supervisor to follow. Authorizes an employee to file a whistleblower complaint with the VA Secretary if the employee has filed such complaint with each level of supervisors between the employee and the Secretary in accordance with such procedures. Requires each employee who receives a positive determination from a supervisor regarding a complaint to be: (1) informed by the Secretary of the employee's ability to volunteer for a transfer, and (2) given transfer preference. Directs the Secretary to carry out the following adverse actions against VA employees who are determined to have committed a prohibited personnel action relating to whistleblower complaints: (1) not less than a 14-day suspension, and not more than removal, for a first offense, and (2) removal for a second offense. Gives employees no more than five days following notification of such a proposed adverse action to dispute it. Requires the Secretary to charge an offending employee a fee that takes into account the costs borne by the federal government due to such prohibited personnel action. Requires the Secretary, when evaluating a supervisor's performance, to take into account any failure to follow this Act's procedures or any commission of a prohibited personnel action relating to a whistleblower complaint. Denies awards or bonuses to supervisors found to have committed such prohibited personnel actions. Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide each VA employee with annual training regarding whistleblower complaints; (2) provide annual training on merit system protection that the Special Counsel certifies as satisfactory; and (3) publish on the VA's website and prominently display at VA facilities the rights of an employee to file, and to petition Congress regarding, a whistleblower complaint.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2015
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015 Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require physical therapists furnishing outpatient physical therapy services to use specified locum tenens arrangements for payment purposes in the same manner as such arrangements are used to apply to physicians furnishing substitute physicians services for other physicians. (Locum tenens [place holder], or substitute, physicians usually assume professional practices in the absence of a regular physician for reasons such as illness, pregnancy, vacation, or continuing medical education.)
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2015
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to restore mail delivery service standards in effect as of July 1, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2015
Help Americans in Need Develop Their Ultimate Potential Act or the HAND UP Act Establishes a framework for the head of a state entity or of a sub-state entity administering two or more qualified federal programs to participate in a demonstration project, approved by the administering Secretary, that supports individuals and families with the goal of moving them towards self-sufficiency, reducing welfare dependence, and increasing work and earnings. Authorizes the administering Secretary to waive program requirements for purposes of the demonstration. Specifies as qualified federal programs: (1) the TANF program under part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct), (2) the Block Grants to States for Social Services under SSAct title XX, (3) activities funded under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 or under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; (4) activities funded under the United States Housing Act of 1937, and (5) the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require an annual public housing agency plan for a public housing agency to contain certain demonstration project application information.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2015
Truth in Obamacare Advertising Act of 2015 Requires each communication that is federally funded, directly or indirectly, to advertise or educate the public on provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 or any programs, activities, requirements, or regulations established, funded, or authorized by such provisions to include a statement that such communication is printed and published, or produced and disseminated, at taxpayer expense. Sets forth requirements for the format and readability of such communications that are conveyed in print, by audio and video means, or by e-mail.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2015
Local Control of Education Act Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to prohibit the federal government from directly or indirectly mandating, directing, controlling, incentivizing, or conditioning federal support on a state's, local educational agency's (LEA's), or school's adoption of: the Common Core State Standards, any other academic standards common to a number of states, or any statewide or nationally recognized content standards; or any assessment, instructional content, or curriculum aligned to, or based on, specific academic standards. Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to make those prohibitions applicable to grants awarded under the Race to the Top program for innovations and reforms in elementary and secondary education. Prohibits the Secretary of Education from conditioning the provision of a statutory or regulatory waiver under the ESEA on a state, LEA, Indian tribe, or school adopting any specific instructional content, academic standard, assessment, curriculum, or program of instruction. Makes that prohibition applicable to future and previously issued waivers.